Born From Destruction
by Reaper-of-Lost-Souls
Summary: From the depths of the netherworld a shadow spirit is born; from this spirit grows a powerful thief. With a fate preordained by the gods can this spirit find her way? What'll happen when her dreadful memories and fate finally catch up to her? TK BakuraXOC adult themes
1. The Return Trek

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hi guys. After a year or two of staying out of this fandom, I decided to write another story. This will be different then the story I tried writing before and I wish to finish this one (as long as I don't end up losing all my files like before). So just a little intro. This is, of course, set 3,000 years in the past at Egypt. Forgive me if I use classical terminology, but I don't know VERY old civilizations other then Egypt so I'll be using names like Greece and Germania. Just so you're aware. Ummm… if you get lost along the way don't be scared to message me and I love comments! Whatever you wish, improvement criticism or you just want to talk. I've always loved this part of the yugioh series, the millennium world I should say, and that's why it took me a while to get over the fandom (and I'm obviously not over it anyways XD) and if you have any ideas or OCs you'd like me to use message me! I'll tell you if I have room for them. I'm trying something new this time. I've been writing different parts of the story whenever I've felt like it before piecing everything together. Hopefully it will be easier than going chronologically in the story, and if it proves effective I'll try it in my other stories! So this is an experiment really, but I've always wanted to write a fanfic for yugioh and gave up years ago. So this will be a new attempt. And no, this won't be like the first one… probably. I don't know. I don't even remember most of what I wrote for it. I'll be using one OC from that story (Alexis), but anything else is up for grabs. Without further explanation, _LET THE SHADOW GAMES BEGIN~!_ =D **

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An ominous creature made her way into a town, sand blowing around her as strands of long black hair blew out from behind a long black cloak. She wore foreign clothes for the region, a foreigner many would assume. If a person looked closer they would see she wore clothes that had come from Asia Minor, a mixture of Miletus and Antioch styles of clothing. She wore a long black cloak that was wrapped around her neck and over her head, hiding most of her face and fanning out behind her in the breeze. She wore long white pants with a white top, both kept together with a black cloth belt. Her shirt was in the style of Asia, the embroidery a foreign style to the brown tint of color that was on her skin. She may have been considered a desert dweller if it hadn't been for her clothing, but she didn't care as long as she had clothes on. She wore long brown boots, her pant legs tucked into her shoes. You couldn't tell by first glance if she was royalty or not. There was so much variety that she could have been thought of as a slave, but also a mistress to a wealthy man too. She had a long brown bag that hung around her shoulder tucked under her arm, but had no other possessions in view. Still a person to be wandering the desert as a foreigner must have had **some** money, or that's what people assumed as the horse trotted into the town. The horse looked tired, but the woman kept her head upright as she peered around the town, looking for a well. "There's one," she motioned to the horse, letting the horse move on its own as it neared the well.

She jumped off of the horse and looked around, expecting someone to come by. Sighing she pulled up the bucket, full of water. She let the horse drink from the bucket, taking out a letter from under her cloak and reading it over. "Hey you!" she heard a few feet away as she saw an old man rushing over with his cane pointed at her. "You don't have permission to use our well –"

"No one came by so I thought it was a public well," the woman shrugged, gripping a hidden sword under her clothing as the man stood away. He glared, noticing the handle of the sword as she glared back at him under her hood. "What would you like me to do? My horse is already drinking from your well."

"… You could pay me," he offered.

"How much?" she asked.

"Thirty pieces of bronze," he said.

"What?" she snarled. "I've only had to pay nine at the last well."

"My offer stands –"

"Heh you're a simpleton," she huffed, brushing her black hair from her face and staring at him. His eyes went wide, noticing bright jaded green eyes glimmering through her hair before they flapped back and hid behind her hood. "I used to live here you know, and I know you haven't had a drought in few years. Don't try to use me. I'll give you ten pieces of bronze and my horse. How about that?"

"Y-your horse?" he looked at you puzzled, the horse snorting once he was done drinking.

The woman sighed as she dumped the rest of the water on the ground, knowing she shouldn't drink from the container after the animal had. "I do not need him anyways. I'm almost to my destination. Let me fill up my animal skin and I'll leave you the horse. He's a sturdy steed and is looking for a new master. What do you say?"

"… You can keep your money," the man nodded walking over to her and holding out his hand, "and I'll take the horse."

"Deal," she smirked, shaking his hand. The man watched as the woman threw the bucket back down the well, bringing it back up so she could have her fill. She pulled out her water and drank a few more drops, the man's eyes widening when he noticed the woman had only a few more drops of water. She must have been thirsty, but hadn't shown her dehydration as a normal person would. Instead she let the horse drink first, even though she was going to sell him to the man anyways. The woman filled up her skin, corking it and placing it back in her bag before petting the horse on the nose and ushering him over to the man. "This is your new owner," she told the horse, "now be a good boy and don't get in trouble."

The horse neighed and she chuckled, turning and deciding it was her time to leave. "T-thank you for the horse," the man said, the horse nipping at his hair and sniffing his clothes.

"You gave me water. I should be thanking you," the woman yelled back, turning around. His eyes widened as he saw a grin bright on her face as her green eyes twinkled at him with appreciation. "You have a good heart Nomti. Keep the horse in your care. He wants to help and not fight in battles anymore. He'll serve you well with your sheep."

His mouth dropped, hearing her words. The woman turned around and walked away, the man standing there stunned before he came back to his senses. "Hey lady!" He yelled as loud as he could, "Who are you? How do you know my name –" but the woman had already vanished into the desert, leaving Nomti puzzled and wondering who that strange woman really was.

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The foreign woman finally came upon the city she was looking for, wiping her brow as she gazed up at the palace from afar. "Wow I haven't seen that thing in years," she chuckled, gliding through the crowd and trying to blend in with the people. Everyone was in lighter clothing then she was and the woman sighed, knowing she'd have to 'find' new clothes and change into the style of this place. She was too foreign here, but she had traveled for months to make it here. She opened up her letter, sighing at the words that she could vaguely understand. Luckily she had been with a scribe when she was received the letter, never really learning how to read Egyptian except for basic letters and numbers. It read:

'_It has taken all my resources to find you sister. I hope you receive this letter in time, for my life may soon end. I hope you come back home so I may see you again, so I may talk to you and speak with you like we used to. I know you would rather be on your various adventures, but right now I wish for you to return home. Do not mind our brother. He is still bitter, but I don't understand why._

_Please return safely in one piece. _

_Your Favorite Sister_

_P.S. I hope you haven't been stealing these past years… okay I know you have, but I hope you have not have been doing so frequently. I wonder what you have been up to. Have the dreams gone away? Do tell me when you arrive or send me a letter back. Now I hope you don't startle anyone when you arrive. Please don't give me a heart attack.'_

The woman chuckled, remembering the words the scribe had told her. There was more to the letter. There were directions to the location her sister would be. She was amazed with where she was, in the city of Thebes, the capital of Egypt, though the woman wasn't as surprised as she should have been. Her brother had been trying to join the royal service. Knowing her sister she had joined with her brother or was working there. So she would find her in the palace. That's where the map came in, the map on the back. It told of a level, three floors up from the ground level, and showed various rooms on that level. There was a circle and an arrow where she assumed her sister wanted her to go, which she would have to plan later. It wasn't nearly as dark as she had hoped and it was only midday. If she was going to sneak into the palace she would have to wait and, of course, have some fun along the way.

That's when the yells and cheers of a crowd perked her interest, making her way through and hiding her assets as a woman as she looked to a stage. She thought silently to the scene, listening to the man's words. He looked to be a priest, though not a high priest of Egypt, but had enough gold on him to be vulnerable to **any** thief, even a lowlife of a pickpocket sort of thief. Still the man's attire wasn't why she was staying, it was the screams of a woman in the crowd as she was being pushed away. "No you cannot kill him! YOU CANNOT!"

She was pushed through the crowd by guards and thrown out, the woman trying to claw her way through in an attempt to get back to the priest. The woman with a long black cloak weaved through the crowd, keeping her distance as her ears listened to the other woman before she gave up and turned away. She made her way back into the crowd and the woman followed, keeping her distance behind by several people to not bring up suspicion. Eventually the woman went down an alley way, the other woman sighing as she gripped the handle of her sword and walked through. Now she knew the woman knew she was following her, turning a corner before throwing a rotten piece of wood at her face as she turned the corner. "Get away from me!" she cried out as she trembled and held a handful of rocks in her hand. "Who are you –"

"I heard your angry cries from the crowd," she told her, the woman letting down her guard as she noticed she was actually a woman and not a man, "and I was wondering if I could be of service."

"Service?" she snorted. "Why?"

"Well I'm new around here," she explained, "and I haven't been here for a few years now. I was wondering how the state of the country is in, Egypt I mean, and if you tell me I'll help you with this man whom they locked up. So? Do we have a deal?"

"… Why should I trust you?" she huffed.

"I may be the only person who can help you," the woman smirked, "and trust me, I doubt anyone else will try to offer their services. I don't know why this man is in jail and will be killed, but I'll free him for you if you give me the information."

The woman paused, sighing as the rocks dropped from her hand and she scratched the back of her head. "Follow me," she insisted, the other woman following behind her as they made their way through the alleys. The woman was obviously hesitant with the other, but she had no other choice. She was truly out of options. She brought the woman into a small house, locking the door behind her as she offered the woman to sit down in a chair. The mysterious woman smiled at the other, her eyes narrowing as she looked at her suspiciously and sat in a chair several feet from her. "They had taken my husband you see," she began to explain, "and also my sister-in-law. They took them because… because he was suspected of being this terrible thief that has been stealing from various tombs and raiding villages and towns. They suspected him because of his job. He manages a merchant trade you see, but we have never come across these thieves. Now he was with his sister and they were captured for suspicion of treason days ago and brought here, which they will be tried and killed. My husband will be killed, but I don't know of my sister-in-law. If I could I'd save her too, but I can only wish that one will live on." The woman sighed, running a hand through her head again as she looked around the room. "I would have **never** agreed to this. I don't even know you, but you're right. I need the help. You just want information you say? What type?"

"Well for starters what's your name?" she asked, "and if you won't give me that what's your husband's name? I'll need to know if I'm going to be able to save him."

"His name is Issa," she sighed, "and he's probably kept in the lowest part of the dungeons. I heard it from one of the guards. They haven't been… feeding him," she coughed slightly, trying to keep strong.

"Do you have any kids?" she asked.

"Several," the woman nodded, "but a few are out and I only have two at the house –"

"Here's what I'll do," she began. "I will get the guards to arrest me and bring me into the palace. Tonight I will try to find your husband. I may have to stay another night, but only suspect us to be gone for one night," she explained. "Now I want you to gather all your children and leave. If my suspicions are correct there is a village miles away where you could wait. When I left there was barely anyone there and maybe by now it's abandoned. It's close to Esna, a few leagues away. The well may have dried up so don't expect water, but I should be back with your husband by then." She sighed, pulling off her hood and revealing her face; the woman gasping in shock at the beauty and youthfulness the woman had as she went into her bag and pulled out her animal skin. She gulped. Why would an attractive young woman, who should be married by now, helping a worthless woman like herself? She watched as the woman drank down some of her water, sighing as she wiped a bit of the water on her brow before continuing. "I want you, when you get there, to take out an old cloth and tie it around a post next to the house you are in. Make it black and make sure it's old. If you don't do this I won't be able to find you, and if it's not old the guards that may be patrolling will go and investigate the object. Make sure you're there by morning tomorrow. Leave right now, before the sun starts to go down in the sky. I know this is all too sudden, but if we don't act now your husband may die soon."

The woman nodded, biting her bottom lip at her words. "I… I will do this," she nodded, "but what is your name? Why are you helping me?"

The other woman smirked, pulling her black hair back into her cloak as she pulled up her hood and put her skin back in her bag. "You have a kind heart," she began, "and you're only trapped in a horrible circumstance. Trust me; I'm only helping you because of two reasons: your heart and your circumstance. Now there are a few more questions I have about this place before I go woman."

"Of course," the woman nodded, "and my name is Mandisa, not woman."

"Mandisa…" she smirked, "beautiful name."

"Thank you," she giggled, waiting patiently as the mysterious woman who had come to her rescue and had decided to help her. Of praise the gods! This must have been the works of the gods… or maybe, she wondered, this woman was one of them. A goddess in the flesh. Well she couldn't jump to conclusions. This woman was here to help! She had to make sure this woman would go through with her plan. So she answered the woman's questions, throughout the day until the sun started to roll across the top of the sky and begin to set.

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The woman jumped down, making sure everything she had on was secure before she made her way back into the crowd. She'd have to get their attention, and the best way was to steal something right in front of the guards' noses. She pick pocketed a few civilians, but yet the guards took no notice of her. She snorted. "Wow they've gotten worse," she huffed, walking around on the streets trying to come up with a new plan. Then it hit her and she smirked.

She snaked through the crowd and came up behind one of the guards, the most oblivious one speaking to another guard as they talked and laughed among themselves. She rolled her eyes, her hands slipping around his long spear as she slipped it out of his hands. She dashed away, looking behind with a grin on her face till it quickly dropped, growling under her breath when the guy didn't notice. "My gods they're the worst!" she snarled. "What the hell has happened in this country?"

She sighed and twirled the spear in her hand, walking sluggishly around in annoyance. Then the words she wanted to hear finally came out, the woman laughing deviously as she began to run through the crowd. "STOP! THIEF!" she heard, slipping through the crowd to a more desolate area. She hated crowds and she needed them to follow her, so she patted her foot on the ground and let them come to her, the woman slipping right out of their grasps as she took off back into the main streets. She looked behind, seeing how many guards were chasing her. About four, but that was alright. She'd get rid of one and pissed the others off. That way, when they notice she's not a he, they'll be so angry that they'll throw her in jail. She used the spear as a javelin and threw herself up into the air, grabbing the other end of the spear as she coasted through the air and quickly got the attention of the people around her.

She laughed at them, those guards much slower than others she had encountered and stepped onto pieces of wood that were sticking out of the homes. She took off and ran as fast as she could, running over a tied up rope and making her way across. "You're so slow!" she taunted, hearing growls from the guards as the four multiplied to six. Okay it was about time to get rid of a few of them. She jumped down onto a cart, slamming her feet on the higher end and throwing its contents behind her. The guards yelled as they tried to dodge, pieces of large melons flying at them and hitting a few in the head. She smirked, jumping off and dashing down the street.

The woman may want the guards to follow her, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight. She twisted her body and threw the spear behind her, almost hitting the guard she had stolen it from in the face as it flew past his face and cut through the cloth on his head. The woman laughed, gawking at him as the man growled and began to dash at her. Then her eyes narrowed and she slipped past his grasp a few moments before he could grab her, dashing back through the streets, but slowly so he could keep up with her. She turned a corner and her eyes widened, coming face to face with the nose of a horse. The horse neighed, flipping her rider off, and the guards jumped back startled. "Hey now," the woman waved her arms, getting the horse's attention as she gently pet her nose and pulled down on her reins. "Sorry for scaring you little mare," she smiled as the horse began to settle down. "Good horse… good girl," she chuckled as the horse began to nuzzle at her cloak.

"Get her!" she heard the guard yell, ripping out his sword and aiming it at her arm.

She narrowed her eyes and tripped him, pulling out her own sword and holding it to his neck. "Bitch don't get in my way," she growled at him, smirking as she cut into his chest and wrote a large 'R' on his chest.

"Hey what the hell –"

The horse neighed, the guard jumping back on the ground as the horse came up and snorted at him. "Izza it's alright," came a voice from behind, the horse narrowing her eyes at her master as she hid the woman behind her neck.

"It's alright girl," the woman smiled as she patted her head, though she made no moves to move away.

The man glanced at the guard, the woman raising an eyebrow at him as he walked past her and over to the guards. "Could you care to tell me why you're chasing after a _**woman**_ of all people?" he narrowed his eyes, a guard hissing as he wiped away the blood from his cheek.

"She stole my spear –"

"Maybe you shouldn't have been reckless Ptah, or will I have to remind you why you're here?" he narrowed his eyes, the guard bowing to him.

"No sir, Mahado," he corrected himself, the priest turning around and looking over at the woman.

"Now –"

"What is the chase over already?" the woman pouted. "_Awww~~_ that wasn't very fun. You know if you capture me you could sell me for a handsome amount of money. I'm wanted in… I think thirty four different countries. Maybe you should turn me in," she smirked.

The man's eyes widened with her honesty, but then his light blue eyes narrowed at her smugness. "Who are you woman?" Mahado asked.

"None of your business priest," she snorted back, petting the mare's nose before letting out a tired huff. "_Well~?_ Are you bringing me to jail or not?"

The man blinked, glaring at the woman as she stared back into his eyes. His blue eyes widened, her jaded green eyes piercing deeply into his own. "Guards, bring this _**thief**_ to the lowest level of the dungeon and tell me where you place her when I get back."

"Yes sir!" they saluted, trying to grab hold of the woman.

She growled and threw her arms around, punching one of the guards in the face before she was grabbed in a chokehold. "**Gently**," Mahado said in a rough voice, her eyes darting over to the man in surprise as she dug her nails into the guard who had grabbed her from behind and had his hand around her neck.

"Y-yes sir," the guard nodded, letting go of the woman's neck and setting her back on the ground.

She shook her head and cursed under her breath, snarling at the man behind her. "Palace bitch," she growled, the guard growling back at her as he roughly gripped her hands and handcuffed her hands behind her back.

Mahado had to smirk at the woman's spunk, hearing her yell and curse at the guard as he tried with all his willpower to not slap her in the face. "High priest," said a man next to him, "we need to look into the last bandit raid in Tentyris in the Upper Egypt region."

"I know," Mahado sighed, "now let's get going." The villagers moved aside as the horse passed by, the woman calming down once she had been arrested. She couldn't help but smirk at her triumph, one step closer to completing her mission. What she didn't notice were the unwanted stares she had gotten, many filled with shock, but a few smirking with intrigue.

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The woman sighed, watching the sun go down from the cell she was trapped in. "One more hour," she told herself, sitting back on the stone slab they called a bed as she waited for the time to go by. She had promised herself she would never get caught, but this wasn't by accident. This was completely on purpose. She just hoped that they wouldn't be suspecting her and keeping an eye on her. Then she'd be able to break out and find Iss –

"Now lookie here," came a voice outside the cell, the woman looking up before her eyes widened to see a guard with a bandage on his face and one on his chest, "looks like I'm taking _care~_ of you, you little snot-nosed bitch."

"Hi… Ptah is it?" she smirked, the man snarling at her. "Yeah that's the name. Means opener, doesn't it mister guard?"

"What are you implying wrench –"

"Nothing," she put her hands up in defense, "but I bet you're not really a man behind that slave driver you call a pharaoh –"

"Don't you **dare** call my master a slave driver!" Ptah growled, opening the door with his keys and grabbing hold of her shirt. His snarl increased at the devious grin on her face, slamming her head into the wall.

Then he got an idea, smirking as he grabbed hold of the black cloth belt around her body and threw it away. "Hey get off of me bastard!" she cried out, trying to push the man's hands away as he laughed at her and tried to pull off her pants.

"That's what you get for messing with me whore!" he laughed, knowing she wouldn't be able to move as he pinned her tighter to the slab with his body. "I'll fuck you _so~_ hard that your mind won't be able to process any of those insults ever again –"

"What's going on here?" came a voice from the gate, Ptah's eyes growing wide as a young girl with a wand pointed it at his nose. "Leave here and get some other guard down here, you jerk," she snarled, the guard pushing himself off of the slab and pressing the wand away from his head.

"Mana put the wand down –"

"You're not Mahado," she growled, "so go away! I'm in charge till he gets back and if I see you close to this prisoner again I'll freeze your body for a week! Understood?"

Ptah sighed, leaving the jail and slamming it behind him. Mana smirked in triumph, helping the woman up as she rubbed her sore head. "Thanks kid," she answered, Mana smiling happily as she giggled and jumped up beside her.

"No problem miss!" Mana laughed. "So why are you in jail anyways –"

"Oh I had a run in with a bunch of guards," she shrugged. "Nothing I couldn't handle, but I ran into a horse and was stopped. Clumsy me I suppose," she sighed and shook her head.

Mana smiled as she jumped up and grab the food she had set down, setting it beside the woman as she stared at her with suspicious eyes. "My master, Mahado, told me to bring you some food," she explained. "It's just some water and bread. Nothing fancy. He wanted to talk to you when you got back, but he'll be gone for most of the night because he had to see how bad a town got raided."

"Raid?" she questioned her.

"Oh yes. We've had a bunch of problems with this group of thieves. Their leader is called the King of Thieves, but that's all we've heard," Mana shrugged. "What? You don't know?"

"If you hadn't noticed by my attire, I'm not a regular citizen," she told her, staring into her dark forest green eyes and making the girl flinch back. The woman smirked, noticing the sudden fear in the girl's eyes as she saw into her bright jaded green eyes. Then she turned her head, not caring to stare at the girl any longer. "Anyways, are you a witch or something?"

"Sorceress-in-training!" she giggled happily, "Though I confess I have problems keeping up with my studies. There's just so much work! So much excitement around here!"

"Well, anyways thanks for the food girl," she smiled.

"No problem," Mana giggled. "I'll get you a new guard. That guy was just a jerk. Leave everything to me!" The woman raised an eyebrow as the girl left, not even bothering to lock the door behind her.

The woman shook her head, "What a fool," she chuckled, "but yet has a good soul," she agreed with herself. She sighed, looking out a crack in the wall to the sky. It was almost time, but she'll have to wait a few more hours for the new guard to start getting drowsy. Besides, she smirked as she moved the keys from her back and set them under her butt, that guard was easier to distract then she thought. "Fools," she smirked as she grinned deviously. They were making everything _**too~**_ easy.

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A young man looked up, hearing a rustling down in the hallway as he heard a guard near him let out a grunt. Then out of nowhere a woman appeared, a brown side bag around her body with a black cloak over her face. He stared at her confused, the woman panting as she looked at him through the bars. "What's your name?" she asked between pants.

"Issa," he answered confused. "Who are –"

"Your wife is Mandisa right?" she asked.

"Y-yes, how –"

"No time," she huffed as she took out keys from under her cloak and unlocked his bars before walking inside. "Your wife sent me. She's waiting with your kids a few towns from here.

"S-she hired you?" he gasped, the woman unlocking his chains and helping him up. She could tell he wasn't in the healthiest of conditions, but if he had the willpower he would be able to escape.

"You could say that," she nodded. "Now let's go. We don't have a lot of time till someone finds us –"

"Wait!" he stopped her. "We need to bring my sister with me."

The woman nodded, "Fine, but where is she?"

"I know the direction they took her in," he explained, "but I don't know where exactly she is –"

"Then come," she said pulling on his arm, "you'll show me then." The man followed behind her, though his walk was staggered. He had been beaten and whipped several times, barely given any time to rest. His next beating was going to be a few hours from now, so he knew the woman had to hurry or else she would be caught too. Oddly enough she seemed to know where she was going, which surprised the man because he barely gave her any directions. Issa groaned, gripping the wall as he looked at his feet. The woman sighed, rushing back over to him and crouching her back to him. "Well?" she huffed. "Jump on."

"But –"

"Don't give me that manly crap," she snarled. "You're hurt. Now get on my back before I leave you behind." He sighed, letting his body fall on top of hers as she grunted and grabbed his legs. Even though he must have been a third bigger then herself she didn't complain, moving as fast as she could in the dark as they moved to and fro. Then she stopped, looking into a dark cell. "Is that her?" the woman asked, Issa jumping off of her back and stumbling over to the cell.

"Dalila is that you?"

"I-issa?" the woman looked up, her eyes lighting up as she jumped to her feet and ran to the cell. "My gods ! –"

"Shut up," the other woman said roughly, holding Dalila's mouth as she glared at her. "There's guards about. Here Issa the key. Get her out of the cell and I'll knock out the nearby guards."

Issa nodded as the woman took off, Dalila staring at him confused as he stumbled to the door and unlocked it. "Who is she?" she asked roughly.

"_She~_ is getting us out of here," he told her.

"W-why –"

"She said Mandisa sent her, so I think we can trust her," Issa said, grabbing Dalila's hands and unlocking the chains.

"I-I hope so," she sighed, "but I doubt Mandisa would want to save me –"

"I insisted," Issa smiled, "and she didn't argue –" They paused, hearing a few bodies fall to the floor with a light thud. "Anyways let's get out of here. I can't stand another minute in here."

Dalila nodded and let him unlock her chains, her eyes widening as he stumbled onto her slab bed. "I-issa?" she frowned, looking at his leg and noticing the blood.

"I-I'm alright –"

"It's a rock," the other woman told him, grabbing his foot. He let out a gasp, trying to keep his pain down as he grit his teeth. "There that's better," the woman smiled, grabbing the keys from him and helping him back on her back. "Dalila I'll need you to open the doors."

"No problem," she nodded, opening the door of her cell as she gently closed it behind her.

Dalila paused when she heard the woman stop, the other woman grinning at a man in the cell. "Hey boy," she huffed, the man looking up at her through his cell.

"What? Plan on bring me along sweet cheeks –"

"Shut up dirt bag," she huffed as she dangled the keys at him. "Don't you want out, little caged bird?" The man went quiet, the woman smirking at him. "That's better." She threw the keys at him, just an inch beyond his reach as he ran for the keys and was stopped by his chains. "Tell the rest of the men that came with you that you're _welcome~_" she gave him a pathetic bow, looking over at Dalila as she gave her a confused look. "Come on let's get out of here," she sighed, showing Dalila the way and having her hold the door for her as they ran out.

When they finally came to the ground level there was a bunch of sleeping servants, the woman telling them to be quiet as they snuck through. Using her memory the woman led them to the back, where a hidden entrance for the slaves were so they can go to and fro into the city. "Here Issa stay upright," she said having the man lean against his sister, the woman dashing off and disappearing for several minutes.

"Do you think she's betrayed us?" Dalila asked.

"I doubt it," he huffed. "I don't see why she wouldn't if she's getting paid –"

"Here hold these horses," the woman said, emerging from a corner with two horses in her hands. The woman helped Issa on the horse before Dalila on the other, asking the horses to stay quiet as they moved in the night. She came across more guards and threw the reins at Dalila, dashing off and slitting their throats as they fell to the ground. "Sorry that you saw that, but we have to get out of here," the woman explained, moving the horses out of the palace gates as they made it into the open city. The streets were almost empty, except for the places where the 'nighttime people' were out and about. She pulled the horses in that direction, glancing behind her every few seconds expecting something to happen. Issa looked behind his back as Dalila nervously looked around, not liking the looks she was getting from people. "Do you know how to ride?" the woman asked them.

"I do, but Dalila doesn't," Issa told her.

"Good," the woman nodded. "There's a sandstorm that will come by in a few more minutes. If we get out of town when it hits we should be okay –"

Their heads whipped behind, hearing the guards sounding an alarm as there were screams in the palace. "Nek!" she yelped, throwing the reins at Issa as she slapped the horse and jumped on the back of Dalila's horse. "Make it out of the city!" she called to the man, cracking the reins as the horse neighed with the sudden shock and took off down the streets. Woman screamed as men pulled them away, Dalila clinging to the mane of the horse as the other woman shielded her from anything that may hit them from above. The woman watched as the horse made it out of the gates, growling as they started to close upon them. "Hurry up!" she cried out, Dalila's eyes widening at the sound. What did she just say? She had never heard that language. Before she could think about it further Dalila cried out as the woman pushed her head down, avoiding the gate just as it came down. "Woot!" the woman laughed, cracking the reins again as the horse neighed loudly into the night and she waved at the guards that had woken up. "Better luck next time _boys~~_!" she laughed, having the horse to dash off into the desert in an attempt to catch up with Issa before the storm came through.

When they caught up with him she noticed a long spear sticking out of his back, Dalila letting out a cry. "Issa!" she gasped, attempting to jump off of the horse to grab hold of him.

"Stay here you idiot!" the other woman growled, cracking the reins as she caught up with the other horse and grabbed the reins. "Woh boy, WOOOH!" she told him, the horses slowing down as they went to a trot. She glanced over at the wound and chuckled, shaking her head as she started slapping the man in the face. "Hey," she said, slapping him roughly, "Issa wake up."

"I-I'm s-s-sooory –"

"Don't start!" she growled, slapping him as hard as she could across his face as he woke up with a jolt. "You're almost there Issa. Stay awake and you'll be **fine**."

"B-but it –"

"It's just a stab wound," she huffed, "not even deep. Suck it up like a man and keep going. You don't want to leave you wife and kids alone in this horrible world, do you?"

"N-no –"

"Dalila, make sure he stays awake," the woman told her, Dalila nodding as she tapped Issa's tired face as he groaned. She watched as the woman tied blindfolds around the horses' eyes, whispering in their ears in a strange language before bringing one up to Issa's face. "Now I'm going to blindfold you so your eyes don't get sand in them," the woman told him, Issa nodding as he let the woman tie the blindfold on. "Same with you Dalila," she said. "I'll try to keep you close to Issa's horse, but make sure he's still breathing and I'll make sure we get out of here in one piece. Got that?"

"Y-yes," she nodded, grabbing the cloth and tying it around her eyes.

They heard yelling, slashing sounds coming from the city and the woman chuckled. "Knew those thieves would get out," she laughed, tapping the horses into a run as they galloped into the desert.

"H-how do you know they're thieves –"

"Oh you can tell by the way they hold themselves," the woman shrugged. "That man in the cell looked to be a general or chief by how his shoulders were hunched in defeat and the fresh whips on his body, **many** fresh whips on his body. They don't do that unless they think he has information, so he was either a spy that was caught or led a raid and failed."

"W-wow I didn't know that," Dalila answered, the woman giving her a smile.

"You pick up on those things when you're on the run," she chuckled at Dalila, her face going blush. "Hang on," the woman told her as she pulled her cloak closer to her face, "here comes the storm." Dalila yelped as she felt the sand, gripping the woman's clothes as she wrapped her arms around her waist. Her eyes widened as she heard the woman laughing wildly, speaking to the horses in a language she had never heard of as she guided them through the desert.

)(*&^%$#!

**A/N: I hope to keep all my chapters about this length. I may need to go over or under, but expect the reading to be about this length… maybe less. This chapter was a bit longer than I anticipated. And the underline means they're speaking in a different language, or at least a different language then basic Egyptian. So what do you think? Likes? Dislikes? We'll see how this story goes. I'm actually excited to write this, if you'll believe me or not XD I'm deciding if I'll delete my first attempt at a yugioh fanfic or not (the ones that say REWRITE on them). The problem is I've never had time to read them over and either way I don't think I like where the story was going. Plus it got confusing and I lost my files and… yeah. That's pretty much it. I'm sorry if you guys liked that story, but hey I plan on writing this one! And long as I get support… that's the problem. There doesn't seem to be a lot of people left who like this fandom. Oh well. I think that's why I quit writing those fanfics. Well we'll see what happens I suppose. The plan is about 40x chapters, but we'll see what happens. It'll probably be more, but it could be less too. I may want to add little filler chapters that have no significance to the plot. That usually happens when I have a random OC someone requests and I don't know where to put it. **

**Here, I'll give you a broad view of the OCs I need. OCs for the palace, like servants or perhaps workers. Not those with prestige. Just simple people. OCs for the TK's hideout. Slave girls, wives (yes there's wives for thieves), or just thieves. There are not a lot of women thieves, even in this story, but if you'd like me to add one I'll do so. She can keep my character company XD Children too. Or very young ladies who are virgins. Or whatever. Doesn't matter to me. They can have both backgrounds too. Someone who works as a servant in the palace, but is actually working as a double-agent for Bakura. I already have a character like that, but if you have an OC like that I'll place that in there. Generally the OCs will replace the other characters in my mind, if anyone gives them to me that is. And lastly there can be an OC(s) that have special powers, like how Bakura can summon diabound. Now if you're going to ask me don't use ALL of these ideas. I want some variety here ^^. Just whatever you'd like really and I'll see if I can fit them in this story. They may not be able to though, so be prepared for that. Ummm… and also the OC doesn't HAVE to have a place in the ideas above. They're just ideas. I'd be spending most of the character's story in those places, so just keep that in mind when you're deciding on an OC. The OC can come from somewhere else for all I care, but the setting is in Egypt so they have to be linked there for one reason or another, temporary or permanent resident. Okay I'm done ranting now =3 I hope you are enjoying this new story! =D SEE YOU LATER!**

Nomti – Egyptian – strength

Issa – Egyptian – God saves

Mandisa – Egyptian – sweet

Izza – Arabic – honor, fame

Ptah – Egyptian – opener

Dalila – Egyptian – gentle

_nek_ – Egyptian – _f*ck_


	2. The Qualified Survivor

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

Alexis © missb111

**A/N: Well I've decided something. If I finish this story then I'll delete the other one. Deal? Cool XD Oh and just so you know I have about 15 chapters written out. Not in order, but I have an order so I'll work on this fanfic for a while. I hope it's a short while, but you know me. I seem to take TOO much time it seems ^^' Anyways I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Wondering what my OC's name is? Well you'll find out now! =D **

!#$%^&*()

The clocked woman pulled the reins and slowed down the horses, letting the woman she was holding onto off first before jumping off and helping the man down. "Issa!" Mandisa gasped as she ran out of the dwelling she was in, her children looking out the door as she helped the man along. "W-what happened to –"

"He got shot before I we rode into the desert," the woman with long black hair tied back in a ponytail explained, "but a sandstorm came through so I was able to get everyone out before the guards caught up. He was only shot in the back. Minor wound. He'll live."

"Praise the gods!" his wife gasped, ushering everyone inside. "Do come in. You must be tired –"

"Actually I have a prior engagement," she explained as she set the man down on the bed and looked at the arrow in his back. Issa groaned as she pressed her hand on his back and gripped the spear with the other, pulling it straight out as he let out a cry. Everyone winced in the room except for the cloaked woman, throwing the arrow off to the side and wiping her brow. "Thank you though –"

"B-but you must have some food before you go," Mandisa insisted. "Sadiki, go gather the leftover bread, the cheese, and some water."

"I don't need the chees –" she tried to tell the boy, Sadiki running off before she could finish her words. "I'll help with the wounds and then I'll go," she decided as she sat down next to Issa on the bed, Dalila sitting by Issa's side as Mandisa grabbed bandages, pieces of cloth, and a small bin of water. "Thank you," she nodded, Dalila helping him out of his top shirt and setting him back down facing the sheets. Then she went through the tedious task of cleaning his back, wetting a piece of cloth and wiping away his blood. "Yeah it's not bad. It just looks that way. Lost a bit of blood that's all, so have him eat some fruit to gain his strength back. He'll be better by tomorrow."

"Oh my gods thank you!" Mandisa cried out, Dalila helping the other woman by cleaning his wounds. "Do tell me, you never told me your name. What is it?"

Dalila paused as the woman stopped, thinking for a few moments before she went back to her work. "… A few years ago I was called Skia Diana, but you can call me by my current name, the Shadow Huntress."

"Shadow… Huntress?" Mandisa asked. "What a bazaar name."

"Yeah, well I didn't pick the names out," she chuckled. "The locals would."

"So… you're a hired soldier?" Mandisa asked again.

The woman sighed. "A soldier, warrior, robber, assassin, whatever the job calls for really. As long as I get some food and water I can do my job, and money isn't an issue for me. You don't owe me anything. I just felt you needed the help."

"But –"

"Keep it," she insisted as she took the bandages and began to wrap Issa's back. "I don't need it. Once Issa is healed head down to Abu Simbel. If you can't get that far then go to Aswan. You don't have much time. The Pharaoh's guards will be searching this town probably by tomorrow." She looked over at Mandisa as she gave her a hesitant face, cracking a smile as a way to comfort her. "Then keep heading south till you reach the end of the Pharaoh's territory. Go as far as you need to escape the guards, but once you're out of Egypt you shouldn't have any problems. If you wish to return wait a few months, possibly a year. A year should be enough time for you. Now I trust you guys can do this on your own?"

"Y-yes I suppose," Mandisa nodded, "but why can't you stay and help us?"

The woman sighed again, running a hand through her hair as she sat up on the bed and stood up. "I am a cursed woman Mandisa. The longer I stay here the more trouble you will get into. I don't mind living in a single place for about a week, but any later and bad things start to happen. You have a good family and a good heart. I can't let my presence taint that." She gave her a smile and walked to the door, Dalila grabbing her hand before she left the dwelling.

"Cursed or no curse you saved our lives," Dalila said with a smile, shocking Mandisa. "Brother was going to die next week and I they were going to give me to the servants. You saved our lives. There must be something we could do to repay you. **Something**."

The woman paused. "… That you never speak of this to anyone," she decided, "and if you do… well that's your problem really. Just remember what I've done I suppose. Now I must be going. There's an engagement I have to get to."

Dalila nodded and let go of her hand, Mandisa wrapping the food in a piece of cloth and tying it together. "This should last you for the day," Mandisa told her as the woman set the food into her shoulder bag. "I insist you fill up your skin before you go. You must have a long journey through the desert."

The woman smirked. "Not a little woman like myself can't handle," she chuckled as she took out her animal skin and filled up her container with water from the nearby bucket. "Now," she said as she corked the top, "I must get going. Thank you for the food and water –"

"No thank you for everything **you** have done," Mandisa smiled happily as tears escaped her eyes. "Y-you've saved us. We can be a family again."

The woman smiled back and gave her a nod, wrapping her black cloak over her mouth as she left the dwelling and walked out into the desolate town. There were only a few people about, not enough for them to notice the family as she tied one horse to the house and climbed onto the other one's back, whispering into its ear before cracking the reins and riding off into the desert.

!#$%^&*()

)(*&^%$#!

"Hey look," a man whimpered, seeing a cavalry of men riding up on stolen horses as the captain waved to them.

"Hello!" he laughed, riding up to a man with his arms crossed over his chest, his long red with white striped cloak blowing behind him. "Hey mister king," he waved, the other men laughing as they jumped off of the horses they had stolen and brushed the sand off of their clothes, "what's up?"

"Heh," the man smirked at him, "thought you were in jail Rashidi for, what was it again, a failed raid?"

"That?" he chuckled nervously. "You see this thief –"

"Oh?" he asked, taking a step closer and looming over him with a wide grin on his face. "And who was this thief? Did he make it here?"

"See sir –"

"Perhaps I should _explain~_ to him how things operate around here –"

"Bakura listen!" Rashidi yelled, getting his attention. Rashidi let out a snort, rubbing his brow before throwing a ring of keys at the other man. "Look it was none of us," he sighed.

"Then who?" the man asked.

"Ummm… I don't know her name –"

"Her?" he snorted. "You lot were saved by a… girl?" His face began to light up, suddenly holding his sides as he began to laugh.

Rashidi's eyes went wide as he watched, the others looking over at him like he was crazy. "You're all horrible!" he laughed. "Saved by a girl, that's hilarious! My gods you lot are horrible." Then he straightened his back and glared at them, the men gulping at the irritation in his eyes. "I expected better from my own men, but having a **girl** save you doesn't make you men. If you expect to stay with us go steal items _worthy~_ of –"

"Well we raided the palace before we were discovered," Rashidi told him, handing over some of the jewels. "Is this okay?"

"It's a _start~_" Bakura thought, "but I have something _**better~~**_ in mind."

)(*&^%$#!

!#$%^&*()

A black cloaked person riding a large horse clicked the reins as the horse trotted into the city. "Thanks pal," she panted as she wiped stray black hairs from her face, the horse neighing as she pet his nose. "You can run along now. I'll take it from here." Giving her a slight bow the horse ran off into the desert, the woman looking up at the city before opening up a piece of paper in her hand. "Okay," she puffed as she wiped her brow, "I have to – Shit I need to sit down!" She groaned as she scuffed her feet, walking into an alley and finding a crate to sit on. She sighed as she pulled away her hood and revealed her hair and eyes, wiggling her hair as it flowed behind her in the cool breeze of the shade. "What's so urgent that I had to leave Miletus for this?" She groaned as she looked down at the paper in her hand, pulling out her animal skin and drinking a hefty amount of water.

"She should have known it'd take me months," she sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, "if not more. My gods what's the date on this thing? Ugh." Looking around and she decided she should look around the city before finding the person who gave her the note; setting her water back into her bag and tying her hair back before tucking everything back inside. She took off her cloak for a moment before wrapping it back around her neck, covering her head and her mouth before standing up and pulling her bag closer to her body. "Damn I'll have to find something lighter to wear," she sighed, tugging on her rough white shirt tucked into a black cloth belt. Her shoes were brown and elongated up the side of her thigh, her white pants tucked into her shoes. Well she'll walk around the city and see if there was a tavern nearby. She could use a good drink.

She took her time scouting the area out, the city much bigger then she had hoped. It took her well into the afternoon to explore everything, this city of Thebes were the Pharaoh presided. She explored the market buildings, the houses were people slept, and every escape route and situation she could get herself into. It wasn't very hard. She was here just a day ago, but knowing the person that wrote her the note _she~_ was going to make her stay a bit longer then she liked, which wouldn't be good for either of them. Her green eyes peered around as she noticed a tavern, going inside and passing by the bar table. "Just get me a beer," she roughly said as she leaned over the edge.

"What kind –"

"Whatever you'd like," she shrugged. "Here," she gave him as she flicked two pieces of silver on the table."

"Sorry that's not enough –"

"You bastard," she snarled as she slammed her hands on the table and got his attention. "You sold the other guy beer for two pieces. If you don't like it then I'll take my business elsewhere," she huffed as she grabbed her silver and pulled away.

"Hey wait," he held up his hand, "I can see you know your way around here," he chuckled as he slid the beer over to her. "Your clothes are that of a foreigner so I assumed –"

"You could jip me?" she snorted as she grabbed the beer before slicking the pieces over to the man. "Don't worry about it," she casually told him as her tone of voice became softer, "I just came back from a journey and I'm due for some new clothes… you won't mind if I sit in the back for a while will you?"

"Not at all, miss," he chuckled as she rolled her eyes.

"You know I don't like your tone," she huffed, "but whatever. I'll pay you if you keep bring me another beer or two."

"You have a lot of money?" he asked.

"No, but enough for beer," she shrugged as she walked into the back and sat down at a single table, wrapping her clothes around her body to hide her accents up till the point that you could only see her jaded green eyes peering into the room. She slowly slurped her beer, smirking that it tasted only a few days old and didn't have time to ferment. She knew he was using her, but as long as she got a bit of alcohol in her system she'll be fine.

She watched the crowd flow in and out of the tavern, men coming in as the work hours closed to come into the tavern for a drink. There were a few people who noticed her, but since they called her a man she didn't think nothing of it. Though if they realized she was a woman, however, she'd have to run out of there before they tried to take advantage of her. She hunched her back over the table as she finished her beer and took out the food Mandisa had packed for her. She wondered if they made it… well she'll hear about it in here. All she heard was a thief sneaking into the palace wearing a large black cloak. That couldn't be good. They'd be suspecting her, even though she **is** the culprit. The guards assumed she stole something and they hadn't discovered that Issa and Dalila were missing yet. Well that was good. Those guards tend to blabber so it was safe to assume the family would be able to make it.

Well enough about worrying about them. She pulled out her bread and munched on it hungrily, looking up as the bartender set a new drink on her table and grabbed the empty cup. She slipped him the pieces of silver, giving him an extra for his service and giving him a smirk as he left. Maybe just one more and she'd go. She dipped her bread in the beer, ate the cheese whole, and slowly finished her food, noticing a large group of men walking into the tavern.

Knowing the knowledge they'd probably blab about was promising, she decided to stay just until the beer in her hand was all gone. "But are you sure we should raid –"

"You idiot! Don't say that word! There are people listening," one of them said, glancing around the room at the other pairs of eyes.

"Hey I figured I'd ask since –"

"Shut up," came a rough voice behind them, the two whimpering as they scooted away and turned around. She raised an eyebrow. He wore a large red with white border cloak and a dark blue short skirt, showing off his chest and abs. He had brown shoes on that were in need of repair and intimidating scars all over his body, especially the long scar over his eye with two smaller scars over his cheek on the right side of his face. She could clearly see he was the alpha of the group, the others making way as he got his beer and sat a table away from her. She couldn't help but stare at him, his short, messy white hair as pure as snow and his amethyst eyes narrow and piercing. There was something about him that was oddly familiar to her, and it took her a while to notice that she had her eyes on him. She shook her head and gulped down her beer, taking her mind off of it. My gods she was turning into a sap. She'd have to throw herself in dirt or something. Gods she hated she had to be a woman sometimes.

Still it didn't help that he was sitting so close. She decided to just listen, munching on the rest of her bread before she began to finish her beer. "The palace is heavily guarded," the man next to him explained, "with four to five levels. There are at least two underground and three above, the Pharaoh's chambers at the top. The royal treasury is somewhere towards the bottom, on the lowest level hidden behind guards and a labyrinth. They usually don't let me down there, but I have some idea where everything is and could show you up to that point. You'd have to find your way through on your own."

"Thank you Chigaru," the white haired man said, "you've been a great service."

"Just doing my job," he chuckled. "By the way how's my family? How's the misses?"

"Cranky as ever," he shook his head, "but she had another child, supposedly yours. It's understandable, since you've been gone for a year and the babe is about three months old. Sad you weren't there to know about that."

"Another child huh?" he sighed. "I'm going to have to leave soon. I can't stand being too far away from them."

"Don't worry I'll bring you back in one piece," the white haired man smirked. "We'll set up preparations a month or more from now. I'll keep you posted. We'll head back once everyone is done –"

"You mean tomorrow?" Chigaru laughed. "Alright Bakura. I guess I can wait a little while longer."

"Good," he nodded as the other man stood up, Bakura placing his own white hood over his head. "See you later."

"Bye," Chigaru answered and turned away, quickly leaving the bar.

She sat there for a while, watching the man they called Bakura sip his beer as her eyes moved around the room at the rest of the men. She sighed. It was going to get chaotic in a few more minutes. They were pretty drunk. She gulped the last of her beer and stood up, walking over to the bar. "Hey thanks for not kicking me out," she winked as she set the cup down, the man stopping her with his hand as he tugged on her clothing.

"Don't look now, but that man in the corner is staring at you," he said, ushering over to the place she had been sitting at. "They call him Bakura I believe. If he starts following you run. These are very dangerous men, probably thieves."

"Thanks," she nodded, pulling her clock closer as she walked out of the tavern. She looked up and saw the moon was high in the sky, the stars twinkling in their vast glory in the sky above. She looked behind to hear punches being thrown behind her, chuckling lightly as she shook her head and turned down the street. The tavern man was right though, she could hear someone following her from behind. She picked up the pace and walked through the alleys, taking lefts and rights as quickly as they came. Hearing the person was a few corners away she climbed up the wall and stepped onto the roof, looking down as the man stopped at the alley she had run into and paused. She smirked. He ran into a blocked area. It was that Bakura, the man she had been looking at, she could tell by his clothes. He probably wanted to kill her because she was close to them or maybe he saw her looking at him. Once he disappeared and headed back to the tavern she cursed under her breath, annoyed with herself that she let her womanly instincts take over her actions. He was a hot exotic man, she'll give him that, but she's seen plenty of men like that. She hadn't traveled as far as she could go north through Miletus and into the cold to not come across exotic men. They were all the same. Men. They wanted one thing from women and she wasn't going to give it to them. That's probably why she didn't like talking to them.

She sighed, taking out her paper and looking at the directions. Her friend would be in the palace somewhere, she knew that much, but there was so much construction that had been done the last time she was there that she didn't know the layout anymore. Well she got a hint. They had at least five levels. Before it was four and her friend slept in the servants' quarters. By the map and directions she was a level or higher. Oh well. She'll figure this out. She dashed from roof to roof till she couldn't run anymore, stopping at the palace wall. She followed the directions and jumped down, making her way towards the back and entering through the servants' quarters. Well, this would be easier then she thought. They didn't have enough security around here.

!#$%^&*()

A young priestess looked up from her bed, noticing movement from the balcony. "Hmmm?" she thought, a slave girl walking into the room and setting a cup of water down.

"Is something wrong mistress?" she asked with a smile.

"No everything's alright Sheba," the woman smiled, letting the woman bow as she walked away from them. Priestess sighed, hearing Mana and the boy prince, Atem, laughing and talking to each other right outside of her room. She still couldn't believe how close she was to the crowned prince! To think, she was the next in line to wield the Millennium necklace after her mistress, Isis. She would be working beside the next pharaoh! She giggled to herself, grabbing the cup of water by her bedside and flipping her silver hair away from her bright sea green eyes. Sure, she had to thank her older brother, Seto, for this gift, but still she earned most of this on her own. She was just as smart as Seto, if not more she had to admit, and they had both worked hard to make it here. Seto wouldn't continue without her, but other than that she worked as much as he. Brother and sister, side by side in the courts. It was a dream come true for her, but mainly for Seto. After their mother died and their other sister ran off they had been alone, but thankfully the pharaoh and his priests had seen their potential and they began in the palace. Over time they had increased their prestige and now they're in line for the Millennium items. Seto's successor already had died a few years ago and he was given the Millennium rod. Now all she had to do was wait, but she knew she wasn't ready for the necklace yet. It was a year or two too soon for that.

Then she looked up again, feeling a breeze against her hair and flipping her purple bangs from the right side of her face. She smirked, hearing Mahado outside as he ushered the children away so he could get some rest. Seto was trying to keep her sister from coloring her hair, but she went out in the middle of the night and had her hair done on the streets and came back with the new purple strips of hair. She was happy she didn't have to chop off her hair, and now no one seemed to mind the new style. She raised an eyebrow, noticing a black cloak on a nearby chair. She smirked. "_Zahra~~_ is that you?" she called into the room, hearing someone stomp her feet on the tiled floor as a woman peered out from behind the shadows, her bright jaded green eyes upon the priestess.

"Alexis please call me by my last name," she huffed, walking over to her cloak and slipping it back around her neck. "I got your messa –"

"The bird worked? GREAT!" the priestess giggled happily, setting her cup of water on the side before dashing over to the middle of the room and throwing her arms around the woman. "My gods it's been years! Years! Where have you been? Have the years been kind to you?"

"For the most part," Zahra smiled, hugging the woman back. "My gods Alexis, it truly has been too long. You're a priestess now? When did **that** happen?"

"Last year," she smirked, "and Seto has the Millennium rod –"

"W-wait," she held up her hand to Alexis, her eyes slowly growing dangerous. "Millennium items? Alexis, **what** have you been doing for the past eight years?"

"B-but Zahra –"

"You know how I feel about those… those things!" she growled. "That's complete betrayal! You betrayed me! Sure I don't care if you're a priestess, but the items? Why?"

"Zahra please –"

"Alexis is this why you brought me back?" she frowned. "To… to _use~ _me and test those items on me –"

"Stop overreacting!" Alexis yelled, shaking the woman back and forth and rattling up her brain. "I would never, **ever** do that! You're my best friend, no not even that. You're my sister Zahra. You may be adopted, but I love you. I know how you feel about those items… and actually it's a reason why I asked you to come."

"Oh?" Zahra sighed as she sat down on the bed and tossed her bag away as it slid on the tiled floor. "You know Alexis, I was doing just fine on my own. The longer I stayed away the less my odd thoughts became, the voices I suppose. When you called I couldn't even hear them anymore, but now you bring me back? I can't even rest! Alexis what is so important that you brought me here? Did Seto die? Do you have something important you want me to use my talents with –"

"No," she shook her head, sitting beside her. "I-it's just… I don't know. This is a very important time in my life. I'm going to be a high priestess! I thought you would give me some support and I wanted to see you before that happened… because… if I gain the item, I may… ummmmm… know your future too," Alexis pouted.

Zahra nodded. "I know. Wouldn't it be easier if you knew though? Then maybe I will know if the gods ever put their accursed vengeance into action," she chuckled, Alexis smirking at her as she laughed and wrapped an arm around her.

"My gods you've turned out better than we would have expected," Alexis smiled. "What do you do anyways? What's your profession now? Married or single –"

"Okay too much!" Zahra snorted, holding her hands up to her before laughing loudly. "Profession, don't really have one. What I do? Well I find good souls in trouble and help them. It's like a game to me," she smirked. "Anyways, no I'm not married, but I did come across a few hot men," she smiled, holding up her hand before Alexis could speak, "but just so you know, I had to leave before it became serious. You know how I am. I'm cursed Alexis. I can't stay in one place."

"You still believe that?" Alexis sighed and shook her head. "Wow… Seto got to you didn't he?"

"Yep," Zahra nodded. "I didn't think much about being cursed, but after yelling at me after your mother died and telling me it was _all my fault~_ I couldn't take it. Sorry about that –"

"Hey it's okay," Alexis chuckled. "I never even thought I'd see your face again…"

Zahra raised an eyebrow, watching as Alexis rubbed her eyes and tried to brush a tear from her eye. "A-are you okay?" she frowned.

"O-oh I am," she smiled nervously, "I-I'm just sad that you left and I'm just glad I was able to find you. W-will you stay?"

"I don't know," Zahra sighed, "I'm going to have to say –"

"Mistress Alexis who is this?" a slave girl asked, the two women looking over to see Sheba staring at them with a confused look on her face.

"Sheba –"

"Alexis am I going to have to –"

"Stop snarling," Alexis laughed and let Zahra go. "Sorry Sheba, this is my sister. Since you saw her can I have your word that you'll keep what you've seen a secret?"

"I-I suppose –"

"Because if not I'll throw you to the crocodiles," Zahra snarled, Sheba letting out a frightened squeak.

"Zahra!" Alexis huffed.

"_Whaaat~?_" Zahra snorted. "And don't use my name around her. I haven't even heard that name in years, to be honest."

"Sheba can I have your word you'll keep her secret?" Alexis asked again, glaring at her and making sure she gave her a straight answer.

"I-I… yes I will mistress," Sheba bowed to her.

Alexis smiled back. "There, see Zahra? Sheba since you're here could you get some food. I bet you she's hungry after her journey."

"Of course mistress," Sheba bowed, quickly leaving as Zahra continued to stare at her.

"Seriously what was that about –"

"Alexis, I have been on the run for years," Zahra sighed as she stood up. "I'm sorry if I wish my identity to be hidden, even here –"

"Okay I get it," she huffed. "Now sit back down and tell me _everything~~!_ I'm dying to know what happened to you. I bet you've come across some amazing things."

"Of course," Zahra smirked as she sat back down, letting Alexis get comfortable as she began her tale.

!#$%^&*()

**A/N: Tada! The second chapter! Now you know her first name, Zahra, but she'll go by other names. And look I already introduced Bakura. Look at that XD Just so you know, he'll have a first name. will probably be the common name he's been given in other fanfics, and hey I'll just use that name as I did in my other fanfic. There you go. Oh. And if you have any OC ideas go ahead and say them now. I'm currently writing chapter 4 and still looking around for random OCs. Mostly ones that need saving right now, but whatever. Anyways I hope to upload at least one chapter a week, but there are times when I can't. Since I have two other fanfics going that may be difficult, but hey here's the next chapter! And I have the 3rd chapter written out so there you go. Well… SEE YOU! =D**

Sadiki – Egyptian – faithful

_skia_ – Egyptian – _shadow_

Rashidi – Egyptian – wise

Chigaru – Egyptian – hound

Sheba – Egyptian – ritual food (meat) offering

Zahra – Arabic – "blooming, flourishing; bright, clear, serene" or "flower"


	3. The Lasting Relations

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

Alexis © missb111

**A/N: Huh… still no reviews… Well alright I suppose. I'm still going to try writing this. I have about two more chapters written and currently working on another, so there you go =D Now we look deeper into Zahra's past relationships. ENJOY!**

!#$%^&*()

Zahra sighed, looking over at Alexis as she grinned happily at her. "Seriously, you brought me here **just** because you're going to be a priestess soon? There _has~_ to be something else… or else I'm going –"

"No don't go!" Alexis pouted. "There's… Zahra there's something else that I've found –"

"Here you are Alexis," the slave girl bowed and set food and drink on a table.

"Thank you Sheba," Alexis nodded, watching the girl go as Alexis chuckled. "She's a bit new so excuse her informality –"

"Alexis," Zahra huffed, "why am I here?"

"Oh right!" she chuckled, her voice getting softer and staggered as her laughing secede. "… Do you still have the dreams?"

"Eh?" Zahra looked over at her confused, her hands dug deep in the food next to her. "Dreams? What dreams do you mean –"

"Don't act stupid," Alexis huffed. "You know what I'm talking about. When you wake up every night screaming in for no reason whatsoever? That one."

"_Ohhhhh~_ **those** dreams," she laughed as she started eating handfuls of raisins. "Only every once in a while… maybe every month or two now, but now that I'm **here** that may change," Zahra snorted.

"Well I came across this fortune teller in the city," Alexis began in a whisper, "and I was thinking, since you'd be in town and she's still here, that you could tell her your dream and –"

"I don't tell **anyone** my dreams Alexis," Zahra snorted.

"You told me," Alexis told her, "and maybe she can help you. Maybe there's some messaging in your dreams that can help you." Zahra rolled her eyes, pouring out a cup of wine and drinking it down greedily. "Come on!" Alexis huffed as she grabbed Zahra's shoulders and began to shake her, "it's not that bad –"

"**You're** not the one who has the dreams," Zahra sneered, "but… I suppose, if you'll think this person can help, I'll give it a shot. Where is she?"

"In town," Alexis explained, "and she sleeps at one of the local taverns and sets up her shop just outside. At the… Inn of the Lions, I recall. In the servants' district – Hey where are you going?"

"I'm going to go find this woman," Zahra answered her, her hands full of random pieces of food as she walked to the window.

"Hey hold it!" Alexis yelled, grabbing Zahra's cloak, "Stop right there! –" She paused, noticing the irritated look on Zahra's face. "Okay, _please~_ stop," Alexis smiled to her. "Look you must be tired. I bet you've been traveling nonstop for months –"

"About seven months to be precise," Zahra huffed, "but go on."

"Yeah okay," Alexis shrugged off that detail, "but either way you must be tired. At least stay the night. I'll get you new clothes and everything –"

"Since **you** are the one that made me come here, I suppose I will do you the courtesy of staying for the night… just the night," Zahra smiled.

"Great!" Alexis laughed, "You won't regret this Zahra! I'll get a room set up and –"

"If it's alright with you I won't mind sleeping in the stables –"

"No sister of mine is sleeping with the animals," Alexis growled at her. "No, you are staying here! Ummm… you can take my bed. It's big enough for two people. Oh! And I'll get a bath prepared for you too. You look like you've sloshed through the mud."

"Well I did –"

"Sheba!" Alexis yelled, Zahra having to hold her hands to her ears and grumbled under her breath. "Servant girl! –"

"Yes mistress?" Sheba scurried back into the room, bowing to Alexis.

"Right. Get a bath prepared for my friend over here and get her some new clothes –"

"What Sheba's wearing is alright," Zahra winked, Sheba giggling at her.

"No!" Alexis huffed. "Something prettier then that –"

"Come on Alexis. I can't be so suspicious," Zahra shook her head. "Okay, just make it simple. Oh! Something light… and maybe new shoes. These sandals aren't working for me," she sighed.

"And some jewelry –"

"If I wanted to look fancy I would have stolen it ahead of time," Zahra rolled her eyes, surprising Sheba by her words. Alexis simply shook her head, glancing at the servant before chuckling sheepishly. "Speaking of jewelry I got you something –"

"Did you steal it?" Alexis huffed.

"No I paid for it," Zahra smirked. "I knew you'd hate them if I gave you something that's stolen –"

"Get going now Sheba," Alexis instructed the girl.

"O-oh yes mistress!" She quickly bowed, walking out of the room and rushing down the hallway.

"Anyways I have it in my bag," Zahra began to explain as she walked to her bag and picked it up. "A few things, actually, from each of the countries I've been to… or where they had decent jewelry. Something from Greece," Zahra began as she set a golden bangle with Greek designs on the bed, "from a Germanic tribe I befriended," she said as she set down iron earrings set with peridot gems in the center, "a Nordic tribe," Zahra continued as she set a silver bangle with Nordic designs on the bed, "and a cute little shop in Asia Minor," she finished by placing a tinted-green bronze bangle on the bed. "I would have gotten more stuff, but I figured four was enough," she chuckled.

"W-wow Zahra," Alexis chuckled as she looked at the earrings, "this stuff is magnificent. I'll have to find a time to wear all of this, but thank you."

"Think nothing of it," Zahra beamed happily. "Since we couldn't keep our own jewelry when we were young I figured you'd want to start stocking up on your own set –"

"The bath is ready, my lady," Sheba came into the room and bowed.

"Alright," Alexis nodded. "I'll put this stuff away and Zahra you can go take your bath. I'll see you back in the room."

"Sure," Zahra stood up as she threw her bag next to her black cloak, "but make sure you hide that. A thief may come in the middle of the night and steal your jewels."

"But _you're~_ the one who gave them to me," Alexis pouted, the two of them bursting into laughter as Sheba stared at them confused. "Well get going. You're keeping me up longer then I had hoped." Zahra rolled her eyes and followed the slave girl, looking over at Alexis one last time before turning her attention to the dark hallways they walked down.

!#$%^&*()

Zahra sighed, running a comb through her hair as she tried to untangle her matted, untamed black hair. "Would you like me to help –"

"It's alright Sheba," Zahra smiled, "I'd rather do this myself. Say I always wanted to know: why are you a servant? Were you bought or perhaps you wanted to?"

"Well…" Sheba sighed, sitting down and looking at the woman with a smile, "The pharaoh has paid a large debt for me. My family was in ruins. I was the oldest of thirteen other children."

"Thirteen? Wow," Zahra's mouth almost dropped before she chuckled. "So what happened?"

"I was the daughter of a farmer and the crops were less than we would have hoped for a few years. So I sold myself into slavery, but luckily the pharaoh was going by the town at the time. He came up to me and bought me for three times my worth. Three times! My family couldn't have been happier," she smiled, "and the last I heard of them they're doing fine – Oh are you done miss? I can help you out if you'd like."

"Thanks Sheba," Zahra smirked as she stepped out of the baths and grabbed the towel, "but I can do this myself. You know I don't think I've had a bath in… a year? I don't know. It was in a few hot springs though and waterfalls. I guess those could count I suppose."

"Wow you must have done a **lot** of traveling," she nodded.

"Yep," Zahra chuckled. "Eight years, but I loved every moment of it. Went as north as I could possibly go and then traveled back down. Decided to stay in Miletus for a while, but once I got Alexis' letter I came back. Luckily the family I was staying with was nice to me. The father was a scribe, able to decipher the letter for me when I got a hold of it."

"Was there a reason why you wanted to stay in Miletus?" Sheba asked.

"_Well~_…" she thought, "he had a big family, like yours actually. I felt like the curse I had on me was lifted at the time, and he had a hot son a few years older than me. About… twenty eight? Was looking for a wife and I fit the bill. Plus I'm getting old. By now I should have either been sent to a temple as a virgin or married someone, or even became a prostitute or slave. No offence to slaves, I actually like them. Very humble people," she smiled, "but yeah it was about time I start to settle down. I want to. Have kids and all that. Meh, I won't admit this to some random guy off of the street, but yeah I would like to settle down." Zahra sighed, running her hands through her hair and pulling out the excess water from the strands. She flipped her hair, rubbing her head and sighing again. "Oh well. I doubt I'll see that kid again. Was a good kid though. Was becoming a very good scribe and was working in a rich man's mansion."

"That's… that's actually pretty awful Zahra," Sheba frowned.

"Yeah I know," she shrugged, "but it'll be alright. I would have cursed his family anyways and the kid was too nice for that. Besides I'll probably end up with some rogue thief anyways, and trust me it's **not** going to happen with one of them," Zahra snorted.

"W-well why?" she gulped. "A thief? Why?"

"That's what I'm best at," she shrugged, "thievery. Stealing and plundering, killing and raiding. I can lead armies to their deaths, but I can't keep just _**one~**_ man for myself. It's better that way anyways. The best men are either taken or too good for me and everyone else is scum. I'd have to meet some unlucky bastard before I'd think of settling down… though maybe outside of Egypt…" Zahra smiled, looking around for the clothes she was supposed to change into. "You know Sheba there's a reason I left Egypt, I wanted to fall off the face of the earth. I never wanted to be found, but since Alexis asked me here I suppose I'll stay for a while. Do understand that I'm only here for her. Don't take it the wrong way if I end up coming back a week later and raid the place, "she shrugged.

"It's alright Zahra," Sheba smiled, "I won't mind."

Zahra nodded as she saw the servant grab the clothes out from behind a pillar, rolling her eyes and shaking her head as she laughed and walked over to her. She slipped off the towel and threw on the dress, confused and wondering why it felt light. "W-wow this is lighter then I remember," she smiled. Sheba giggled as she helped the girl, combing her hair and wrapping a light blue cloth belt around her waist. "Y-you don't have to do this –"

"My mistress told me so I'll do as she says," Sheba smiled, "besides I like you. You're a nice person."

"T-thanks," Zahra chuckled, looking at her reflection in the water and smiling widely. "Huh. I don't look too bad. Oh and before we go forward call me Ranpu. Alexis doesn't seem to get that I've been going by my last name for the past eight years."

"Ah," Sheba nodded, "Well I'll call you Ranpu then. Is there anything else you need?"

"Nope," she shook her head, following the servant out of the baths and through the palace.

"Y-you know that's just a nightgown right?" she decided to say.

"Ummm… nightgown? No this is too fancy for me –"

"Just lay back for tonight," Sheba chuckled. "You must be tired. You had a long journey didn't you? Well just take this night to rest for once. You definitely look tired miss – I mean Ranpu."

Zahra smiled, giving her a nod. "Yes I am, but it's alright. I haven't slept properly my whole life –"

"Oh?" they heard in the hallway, looking over to see a young man with spiky red and black hair with blonde bangs walking over to them with a look of intrigue on his face.

"Crowned Prince!" Sheba gasped, bowing to him and parting the hallway for him.

He chuckled. "You don't have to do that when no one is around – You're not going to bow?" he raised an eyebrow.

Zahra huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him. "Why should I bow to a boy who may or may not be a good leader for his kingdom?"

"Ranpu! –"

"No it's alright," the prince told her, holding up a hand. "Wow, you have spunk. Are you a new servant?"

"Nope," she shook her head, "I'm here on business, but one of your priestess made me stay the night. **Made** me, I'll emphasis."

"What business?" he asked.

"None of your beeswax," Zahra huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

The prince smirked, holding out his hand. "Hi my name is Atem. I'm sorry for intruding. I was just out for a walk… ummm…"

"Ranpu," she smirked as she quickly grabbed his hand and shook it. "Yeah it is a nice time to walk outside, but aren't you afraid of intruders?"

"Bah!" he chuckled lightly. "Those people don't scare me!"

"_Oh really~~?_" she grinned, taking a step closer. "You sure about tha –"

"I don't mean to interrupt," Sheba began, "but my mistress is expecting you by now."

"Right," Zahra chuckled. "Sorry prince. Have a good time on your walk."

"Y-yeah same here," he slowly waved watching her leave. He wiped sweat from his brow, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair. "My god those eyes," he shuddered, "and hips. Wow, no one has ever talked to me like that. I wonder who she is. Probably has a husband though. I doubt she'd want me to pry into her affairs… but perhaps I will." He looked around and made sure no one had heard him before he continued down the darkened hallway and outside to the courtyard.

!#$%^&*()

)(*&^%$#!

Alexis groaned, yawning and stretching as the light came into the room. Her bright sea green eyes went wide when she noticed a body next to her, looking over at the body before a smile came to her face. That was right. Zahra was back, finally. Alexis grinned as she ran a hand through Zahra's hair, the woman moving into her gentle touch as she slept calmly. The priestess figured Zahra would want to sleep in longer and decided to go about her routine; Sheba coming in about the same time Alexis stepped onto the floor and stretched, beginning to slip Alexis' nightgown off and replace with her priestess outfit. "Would you like your breakfast delivered or will you dine with the others?" Sheba decided to ask.

"Ummmm… I don't know. I may have my supper up here," she smiled, "because I know Zahra will leave if I don't stay close and watch her."

"She's a kind and sporadic young woman, isn't she mistress?" Sheba decided to ask with a smile.

"Of course," Alexis chuckled, "always has, though she hates to admit it –"

"I heard that," Zahra mumbled at Alexis, glaring at her as she shifted in the sheets and pulled them closer to her body. "Why are you getting up so early anyways? Do you plan on stealing something?"

"No," Alexis huffed. "We start the day early here. Actually I'm a bit late, but it's a off day for me –"

"Whatever," Zahra yawned. "What do you want me to do anyways?"

"Ummm… well I was going to have someone bring food up for you. Would you like to stay here?"

"Nah let's get this over with," Zahra huffed as she jumped out of bed and stretched. "The sooner this is over the sooner I leave." She looked over, noticing the frown on Alexis' face as she turned her back and let Sheba fix the golden necklace on her white dress and tying the gold band around her waist. Zahra sighed, "I'm sorry –"

"I know you want to leave," Alexis gave her a slight smile as she turned and fixed the jewelry Sheba was placing on her and let the slave girl step away. "How was your night?"

"Well," Zahra thought and began to walk over to her, "it sucked."

"Had the dreams again?" Alexis frowned.

"No thanks to you," Zahra huffed. "Sorry, but it's true. I hadn't slept in a few days and the night and once I get to Egypt and I have the dreams again."

"Well you looked cheerful," Alexis smiled.

"I was already up," Zahra sighed, "but it's alright Alexis –"

"No it's not," she snarled. "Look Zahra, I will do everything in my power to help you. Just say the word and I'll help. Just don't leave Egypt yet, okay?"

"… When are we going to that inn?" Zahra decided to ask, getting off of the topic, "or will I have to go there myself –"

"I was thinking in midday and we can bring some guards –"

"Alexis are you dumb?" Zahra chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest. "You won't get what you want if you bring force with you. Tell you what, you take off some of that jewelry when we go and put on a cloak over your face. Then you won't be noticed as a priestess. Plus you have to assume people have seen you and if this inn is in the servant area of the city then that's where thieves will probably congregate. So keep that in mind when you do something stupid."

Alexis shook her head, "My gods Zahra, still critical aren't you?"

"I'm only looking out for your welfare," Zahra smiled, her eyes quickly turning cold, "and if someone dare hurts you they will go through me –"

"Okay I get it!" Alexis laughed. "I'll bring you after my lesson with Isis, alright –"

"Alexis, the pharaoh –" The voice paused, noticing the other woman in the room looking at him with suspicion. "A-alexis who is –"

"Hey Seto! Look how grown up our sister is," Alexis smiled, their eyes widening as they stared at each other with astonished looks on their faces.

"S-seto," Zahra gasped, noticing how tall he had gotten.

"Za-hra," Seto stared back, his bright blue eyes turning back to normal as he looked her over. "You look… well."

"So you do," Zahra nodded. "Priest too? What, you're trying to show me how much you hate me by joining the royal courts?"

"It's not like that –"

"But I think it is –"

"But it isn't Zahra –"

"Please it's Ranpu now," she told him casually, "and if you want to arrest me do it now –"

"Why would I arrest you –"

"Because I'm a thief," she smirked. "Why? You think I wouldn't have become one –"

"You could do so much better then stealing –"

"I know," Zahra shrugged, "but it's my talent. Besides you don't know what I've done and where I've been. I've saved many lives as well as take them. Don't tell me you know me –"

"You're still cursed –"

"Well hes on the curse!" Zahra growled. "I was just fine till Alexis told me to come back –"

"Guys please!" Alexis held out her hand, Seto and Zahra crossing their arms over their chest and turning away. "Enough! We're family here. Stop fighting –"

"That woman is no sister of mine," Seto huffed.

"Yeah," Zahra snarled under her breath, "you heard him Alexis. He doesn't want me around –"

"You know what?" Alexis growled as she grabbed Zahra's shoulders, staring deeply into her eyes. "Seto may still have some dumb grudge against you, but I don't. I don't believe you killed our mother and burned down our village. So don't listen! I still want you!"

Zahra blinked, looking away and letting out a tired sigh. "Why is she here anyways Alexis?" Seto asked.

"I wanted to see her again, our **sister** Seto," Alexis huffed and turned her attention over to him. "Look she has been gone forever. I'm about to be a high priestess soon! I just wanted to see her for a while. How bad can it be –"

"You know what happened the last time Zahra came into contact with the Millennium items," Seto sighed, "and yet you have her come to a live hive where all seven items congregate together."

"Just so you know," Zahra interrupted them, stepping around Alexis so she could see Seto, "you're not the only person who has trained. I have been training for the past eight years to control my powers. Test me. I know you have the rod on you. I can sense it behind your back."

Seto sighed, taking the Millennium rod from his back and looking at the eye on top. "… If you can keep your powers under control then I'll let you stay."

"Good," Zahra smiled, "deal." Seto nodded, stepping towards Zahra with the rod raised to Zahra's head. Zahra only stared at him, her eyes slowly looking to the eye. Her mind began to get hazy, but she had to stay in control. Her eight years of constant training may have led up to this moment, a chance to prove herself to Seto and show she can be trusted. Alexis only watched them, sighing as she had Sheba continue with her outfit and help with the makeup on her face.

After a few minutes Seto pulled away, letting out a tired breath as Zahra breathed out a relieved sigh. "Okay I believe you," Seto sighed, putting his rod behind his back, "but I'll still be watching, **thief**."

"I know you will, **priest**," she huffed back, watching Seto leave before he turned around and looked over at Zahra.

"You know you must be the woman the prince was asking about," Seto realized. "Long black hair, mystical jaded green eyes… yeah it must be you. Did you meet him in the hallway or something?"

"Oh my way back from the baths," Zahra shrugged, "why?"

"… No reason," Seto shrugged, leaving the woman as Alexis giggled and checked herself in a mirror.

"Seto cares about you, you know," Alexis smiled, "he just won't show it."

"I know," Zahra smirked, "but he's still a jerk."

"Yeah he has a problem with that doesn't he?" Alexis chuckled, throwing her white shroud over her body and over her shoulders. "Sheba go ahead and bring some breakfast to Zahra and get her some new clothes –"

"Street clothes," Zahra huffed. "I'm not going to wear something fancy."

"Whatever," Alexis shook her head, "and I'm going to go downstairs and dine with the others. Knowing the little prince he'll be talking about Zahra, so I should make sure they don't find out about her."

"Thanks sis," Zahra smiled. Alexis winked, giving them a wave and leaving the room.

"So miss," Sheba smiled over to the woman as she sighed and scratched the back of her head, "what will you like for breakfast?"

"… You know would you mind if I go dine with you guys?" Zahra decided to ask. "Not those priests and such, but you guys, the servants… u-unless you already ate. I'd end up leaving this place because of boredom if I eat alone –"

"That's not a problem miss," Sheba smirked, ushering Zahra out of the room. "I usually have my breakfast after my mistress, so I can have something with you. I do warn you, we only eat leftovers or just simple foods. Nothing like wine or anything –"

"That's completely fine," Zahra patted Sheba on the back and grabbed her black cloak off of a chair as she passed. "I'm not picky. I just need something in me to get me through the day." Sheba nodded and led Zahra down the hallways, wondering what sort of woman she really was. A thief? An assassin? Just who was this woman who's the sister of the High Priest Seto and the Priestess Alexis?

)(*&^%$#!

Taking their time the two of them made it down the three levels to the ground level of the building. Out of habit Zahra had the black cloak over her body, though the hood was left to hide behind her back just in case she'd need it. "Why do you have that cloak anyways?" Sheba decided to ask.

"Well it's just something I'm familiar with," Zahra smiled, "the black I mean. This is probably like my… ninth cloak? I'll probably trade it in later, but the black cloak is sort of my signature. Not the best signature, but it's one of them."

Sheba nodded, leading up to a set of stairs and smiling at one of the guards. "Hi Chigaru," she giggled and waved.

"Hello Sheba," he nodded to her, "and who's this?"

"She's –"

"Ranpu," Zahra smiled and held out her hand, "my name is Ranpu." They shook hands even though Chigaru was giving her an unsure look, but she kept up her façade and continued to smile at him. "Well come on Sheba," she told her, "Where's the food?"

"Oh yes!" Sheba realized. "Chigaru would you like some breakfast or did you get some already?"

"I got some this morning," Chigaru nodded, "but thank you."

"You're welcome," Sheba nodded back, the two women walking down the stairs and into the servant quarters. The rooms were large; even though the place was big there still wasn't a lot of room. The quarters were they slept were stuck side by side, only a few buckets of water for several hundred servants. Some were sleeping because their shifts were at night, but most were awake and were either waking up or had already left to go about their work for the day. Sheba rolled her eyes as she noticed Zahra's eyes wonder, noticing a spider in the corner and subconsciously walking over to it. "Come on," Sheba sighed and pulled on Zahra's arm, Zahra letting up a startled yelp as she was pulled back and down the hallway. "I wish my mistress had warned me about you."

"Eh?" Zahra shrugged. "Sorry I was just looking at everything. Trying to remember things, that's all."

"You lived here?" Sheba asked.

"You could say that," Zahra tried to explain, "for a while… maybe a few days tops. I don't really remember, so let's get off of the topic."

Sheba sighed and walked into the kitchen, Zahra slowly following behind and peeking around the corner. She ushered her in and grabbed two plates, grabbing whatever was left in the pots as Zahra followed behind her. Then they sat at a wooden table and pushed the empty trays away, Sheba's eyes widening at all the food Zahra had grabbed. "W-wow that's a lot," she gulped, afraid that the tower of food Zahra had gathered would fall down and make a mess.

"I'm hungry," was Zahra's only explanation as she gobbled down the food, Sheba giggling at her as she shoved a cup of water Zahra's way. Sheba was afraid the woman would choke by how quickly she ate her food. Actually it was only a few seconds before she had even finished her plate, but she had said she was traveling nonstop for weeks. Maybe even months for all she knew. Zahra slumped over and let out a content sigh, rubbing her belly as she watched Sheba slowly eat. "Wow you're slow," she laughed at her.

"Well I haven't been traveling now have I?" Sheba smiled to her, dipping her bread into her soup and slurping up the wet bread.

"Alright you got me there," Zahra laughed and stood up. "You don't mind if I look around this place?"

"Nah," Sheba shrugged, "but stay here around the servant quarters. If I lose track of you mistress will have my head."

"And we don't want that," Zahra winked, drinking down the rest of the cup in front of her and walking out of the kitchen. Zahra glanced down at the door she knew was hidden before looking over, her mind telling her to wander outside as she sighed and stared out into the courtyard. The place where she had escaped with Issa and Dalila, "My gods I want to get out of here," she groaned, pressing her head into the doorframe beside her and pouting. This wasn't her, being confined like this. If only Alexis could understand how she is; she needs to be out in the world and not confined in a building. That's actually why she hasn't married because every man that has asked her hand has either tried to force themselves on her or only wanted her for a specific purpose. She hated men like that and almost every man was either like that or was married. Well still she wouldn't gloom on the past. She never tried to do that anyways. Now she will look out into the sun, walking a windless path that set her off in a random direction. At least she was going somewhere right? And she was choosing her own path, not having others decide for her like Alexis is letting Seto do with her own life.

After a while she noticed something, two figures talking to each other from right outside of the wall. It was a guard, that guard named Chigaru she realized, and a cloaked man hiding behind a big burly brown cloak. She couldn't see him or his eyes, but even though she was far away she could certainly hear them. "… There also a new woman in the palace," Chigaru explained, "but I heard she'll be leaving soon and won't be a bother. The pharaoh is still looking for the thieves, but he's putting more efforts on his pyramid then the kingdom's affairs. He'll probably die of natural events soon enough, though I see tension rising in the palace. That's my report."

"Thank you," the man nodded to him. "I'll rush right over and send you the details later." Chigaru nodded and turned around, Zahra disappearing back into the quarters before he could see her or she hoped he didn't see her.

Zahra sighed, backing away and yelping when she ran into Sheba. "Hey I was looking for you," she smiled, grabbing Zahra's hand and pulling her along. "Let's get you changed into something. I found the _perfect~_ little dress that would look great on you."

"Hopefully not **too** great," Zahra chuckled, looking behind and noticing Chigaru looking into the room as they left. She wondered who he really was, feeling like she had seen him before. He must have been a spy for bandits, but by her own internal code she wasn't going to rat him out. Plus he looked to be a good man, but if he tried to harm Alexis in any way she would have to kick his ass.

)(*&^%$#!

**A/N: And that's it for now. Actually I'm still looking for OCs if anyone has a suggestion. Ummm I'm wondering if anyone is actually reading this story… Hmmm… Well I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. I may post another chapter up today or not… but soon at least. SEE YOU LATER!**

Ranpu – Egyptian goddess of war. Represented as a woman in male costume, holding a sword and shield

_hes_ – Egyptian – _sh*t_


	4. The Skia Dreams

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

Alexis © missb111

**A/N: Well I was bored waiting for my next class yesterday and I had at least two more hours to waste so I decided to review a chapter. I would have posted this sooner, but for some reason the site wouldn't load up for me. Let's see… well not much to say here. I got my first reviewer, WOOT! Now I hope other people read it, but hey one is quite alright for now ^^ ENJOY!**

! #$%^&*()

"Hey Sheba I –" Alexis paused, practically choking on her breath as she noticed the woman walking towards her.

Zahra smiled, chuckling lightly as she twisted a finger in her long black hair. She wore a long white dress that reached down just above her ankle, yet there was a cut in the dress that went up her left leg and stopped a few inches below her thigh. The dress was tied behind her backat the top; her back visible and revealing a few fading scars that lined her back and were still in the process of healing. She had no sleeves, her shoulders completely exposed, but it was very comfortable and Zahra couldn't help but grin at Sheba's selection. She flipped the black cloak around her neck, the hood hanging behind her back as the rest of her cloak fluttered in the breeze as she walked down the hallway to greet Alexis. Lastly was her brown bag, which she had hanging off of her side as she waved. "So can we go now?" Zahra decided to ask, light brown shoes on her feet that had replaced the sandals she had been using.

"Ummm… actually Isis is still teaching me –"

"Who is this?" Isis asked, Zahra giving the taller woman a smile as she held out a hand.

"Hi. My name is Ranpu and I'm Alexis' sister," she grinned, the other woman's eyes widening at the mention of a sister.

"Alexis I didn't know –"

"Well she's been gone for a few years," Alexis chuckled nervously, "and Seto doesn't like admitting that she's our sister."

"Ah I see," Isis nodded. "Well since your sister is here we can end early. Would you like to come and dine with us Miss Ranpu?"

"A-actually," Zahra chuckled and scratched the back of her head, trying to keep her gaze away from the Millennium necklace that hung around her neck, "Alexis promised me that we'd go into the city and I need to get that done today."

"Of course," Isis nodded. "Perhaps we'll see each other again?"

"Probably," Zahra waved, the woman passing them in the hallway as Sheba stood next to Alexis and bowed to her.

Alexis sighed, "Dismissed."

"But –"

"Apparently you want to get this done today," Alexis pouted at Zahra, "so it seems I'll have no choice."

"Of course not," Zahra smirked. "You know me right? Won't relax till I reach my goal –"

"And even then you go searching for a new thing. Can't sit still can you?" Alexis sighed, "Alright. I'll change out of these clothes and we can walk into the market place… You'll wait right?"

"Of course," Zahra smiled, following Alexis into her room and checking herself out in the mirror. "… Huh. This isn't too bad."

"Yep," Alexis smirked, "You look **hot**." Zahra rolled her eyes, sitting down in a chair and watching her change. By the time Alexis was done Zahra had almost passed out, having to shake herself awake so they could leave.

! #$%^&*()

The only person that knew they were leaving was Isis, and since Alexis got permission it was easier for them to leave. Thus Alexis led Zahra through the market place, Zahra memorizing their steps and the places around them from under her black hood and black bangs that mainly hid her eyes from view. By the time they made it to the Inn of the Lions the sun was almost at the top of the sky, Alexis and Zahra panting as they walked into the inn and walked up to the bar. "Two beers please," Zahra asked, sitting down and looking at the other people who were in the bar. Of course there were mostly men, actually she thinks it was all men right now, but as long as they didn't bother them she wouldn't attack. "So where is she?" Zahra whispered to Alexis before their beers were served.

"Over there in the back," Alexis glanced over at the end of the bar, a room under the stairs that was hidden by a curtain. "Here you go sir," she placed the money on the counter, grabbing her beer as Zahra followed behind her with her own and waited at the curtain. "Miss –"

"_Come in my child~_" an old, rough voice came from the back, Zahra rolling her eyes as she quickly drank down a third of her beer before following in after Alexis. There was a woman sitting there, a light veil over her hair as she ushered Zahra and Alexis to sit. The woman was obviously old, her fingers long and boney and her face sagging. Zahra wondered how old this woman could be, but she figured it'd be rude to ask. "You are the priestess from earlier," the old woman smiled, "is this your sister?"

"Yes –"

"Yes I am," Zahra huffed, "but I don't see why I'm here."

Alexis shook her head, avoiding Zahra's gaze as she set her beer cup on the edge of the table. "I know this is unannounced, but I was hoping you'd help me figure out Ranpu's dreams now."

"Yes my child," the old woman nodded, waiting for Alexis to put some coins into a bowl before she put her hands on a crystal ball. "_Well my dear~_" she asked, Zahra looking up before sighing.

"What do I have to do this time?" Zahra sighed.

"Place your hands on the crystal ball and tell me your dream," the old woman told her, Zahra looking over at Alexis wishing she wasn't here, but doing as the woman instructed as she placed her hands on the sides of the crystal ball and closed her eyes.

"Firs –"

"_Uuummm~~_… _aaaahhhiuuummmmm~~_…" the woman hummed, her hands over her crystal ball as she thought deeply. Zahra cracked her eyes open and stared at the woman, glaring at her for interrupting her. "_Hiuummm~_… _ummmmhummm~_… go right ahead dear."

"Fine," Zahra snorted, Alexis looking over because of the annoyed tone in her voice as she sighed and decided to start. "First it starts off as the dark, as pure as night. As if you're sitting in a room and nothing is there, trapped in a cellar that is locked and lets in no light. In my dreams I am wandering that darkness, looking for any signs of a shadow of a light so I can have my sight back," Zahra sighed, taking a hand off of the ball as she grabbed her beer and glugged it down. The old woman looked up and stared at her confused, Zahra drinking the alcohol down before she hiccupped and placed her hand back on the crystal ball. "Anyways that's how all my dreams usually go," she continued with her eyes closed. "Good or bad, evil or not, that's how they start. I walk around in the dark till my hands find a wooden door, a trap door, or the wall. Once I do I suddenly have a sense of light again, my vision starting to see into the darkness around me and show the shadows in the dark.

"Once I do that I continue, either opening a door or just walking along the wall looking for a light. That's when the dreams start," she told her. "Usually every dream I have is like this: the light begins to shine, a dark flame of blacks, purples, and blues swirl in front of me. As a moth is to the light I wander into that flame, letting it engulf me completely as I looked out of the flames around me. Depending on how sleepy I am I continue to burn, but as I burn I suddenly end up walking into a village. A normal village, in the sands away from others set in the rocks. Then in the blink of an eye the village bursts into flames, red and orange, yellow and blue, then purple and black. I run around and my heart starts to beat out of my chest, as if I was scared of some unknown creature. I see blood splatter on the walls, but I do not know where it comes from. I hear yelling, screaming, but yet I cannot see it. Then I am grabbed from behind, the world suddenly turning darker around me and I'm thrown backwards… then I feel like I'm on fire." Zahra sighed and opened her eyes, wiping the sweat that was coming down her brow even though she tried to keep her voice calm and straight. She had told about this dream to Alexis all the time, but still every time she happened to talk about it she'd start to sweat, as if she was in the dream right that second. "By then I usually wake up," Zahra told her, "but if I don't my vision blacks out except for a light purple glow, coming from the darkness and staring at me. Then everything goes black again and I can't see, walking around in the darkness trying to find my way. That's what happens. I am in darkness, dream, and then I end up back in the darkness… so miss what does that mean?"

The old woman only stared at her in shock, Alexis sighing and placing a hand on Zahra's shoulder. "That dream… must mean you had a traumatic experience when you were a child," the woman began, trying to wrap her head around the dream.

"I already know that much," Zahra huffed. "Tell me something I **don't** know."

"Come on Ranpu give her a chance," Alexis said, Zahra sighing as she took her hands off of the crystal ball and slumped back in her chair.

The woman smiled, humming to herself as her hands twisted over the crystal ball till she suddenly stopped. "A group of thieves or bandits had raided your village," she began, "and burned the buildings. You were thrown into a burning building by one of the bandits, but yet you were able to escape. Even though you escaped you were severely wounded and ran off into the desert. Luckily the bandits didn't find you and you were saved by a family –"

"Okay let me just stop you right there," Zahra put up her hand. "For one, Alexis must have told you that her family saved me and I had a bunch of burns on me. Second you got the idea of a village when I told you that. Lastly I don't think it was bandits at all and I doubt you know what you're talking about," she huffed, "so you're just tricking me."

"Ranpu! –"

"Look nice try," Zahra chuckled and stood up, "but I can tell when someone is lying to me." Zahra took out a few silver pieces and threw them into the woman's bowl. "Thanks for the _fortunetelling~_, but I'd rather not hear what else you have to say." Zahra pushed the curtain aside and walk out of the room, ordering another beer as Alexis followed behind her and slammed her cup on the counter.

"What the heck was that?"Alexis growled, the faces in the tavern looking over at her as she snarled at Zahra. "That was incredibly rude –"

"Well I don't care," Zahra snorted, taping her fingers on the counter requesting another beer.

"… You know I went to great lengths –"

"You shouldn't have," Zahra huffed, grabbing the beer that was thrown her way and quickly drank it down. "I don't have to listen to you, you know," she snarled and pointed a finger at Alexis, "and I only came here because of what we have. I don't care about the past so leave that alone. You live your life and I'll live mine." She held out her hand, the bartender pouring more alcohol into her cup as Zahra glared at Alexis, expecting an answer.

Alexis stood there, huffing and trying to keep her voice down. "B-but why –"

"Besides what I want to know is why you'd go to great lengths to ask a soothsayer of all people about me?" Zahra narrowed her eyes. "You can't expect me to live my life like everyone else? I was fine till you asked me to come back! –"

"Look," Alexis growled, "I wanted you to come back so…" She sighed, watching Zahra look away when her cup was filled and drink it down, her jaded green eyes glaring at her. "So we could be a family again. As your sister I… I wanted you to be happy. You've never been happy. You've always been miserable because of those dreams –"

Zahra chuckled at her, setting the cup down and crossing her arms over her chest. "**That's** what this is about?" She sniffed, "Alexis… I am fine with my life. I don't mind being on the run. In fact I love it. You know what I've done? I've been helping other people. You know, something you and your mother taught me," she pointed to her and picked her cup back up to drink the rest. "Actually that had always been there, but I never thought of really helping someone anyone till you told me that good things will happen to you if you help others," she shrugged, "so that's what I've done. Sure, I may kill people and I don't mind seeing people die, but if I have a goal and I set my mind to it I'll get it done. Plus this is all a game to me. I long, horrible, thoughtless game."

Alexis watched Zahra drink the rest of the drink in her hand, sighing and shaking her head. "Whatever," she huffed, "I tried."

"It's great that you tried," Zahra chuckled and looked into the cup, "but no magic or enchantments will suddenly stop something that has been happening for twelve years of my life. So let it go Alexis. You should be glad I even returned, but honestly I think I'll try to leave again."

The priestess huffed, turning away and snarling. "Whatever Ranpu," she huffed, "I'll see you in the underworld." Zahra shrugged at her comment and set the cup down, thinking to herself as she looked at the other eyes in the room.

They were staring at them, a look of hunger in their eyes. Zahra glared back, she didn't like that look – "Oh _who's this~?_" a deep voice came from the front of the inn, Zahra keeping her gaze on the cup as Alexis stared up at the tall man standing in front of the door.

"Hey get out of my way –"

"Well boys," the man laughed, grabbing Alexis' shoulders and pinning her in place, "it looks like we have a feisty one."

He threw her down and Alexis yelped, the man grabbing her hair and shoving her onto a table. Zahra clutched her fists and stood up, dashing at the man and grabbing his hair. "You bastard," she sneered, slamming him into the table he had thrown Alexis on. The other men in the inn dashed at her, unsheathing their weapons as they darted for her. Zahra smirked and pulled out the sword hidden under her cloak, whipping it around her body and slamming the butt of her handle into a man's face. She slashed the blade around and cut into their arms, a few of them dropping their weapons as she elbowed a man in the face. In the blink on an eye she grabbed Alexis' arm and shoved her towards the door, looking behind as Alexis looked back in horror. "Well get going," she chuckled at her, Alexis narrowing her eyes as she pulled out a blade.

Yet Zahra wouldn't let her back into the inn, using her body and even her weapon to keep Alexis at the door as she spun around and slashed at a man's face. He screamed as she kicked him in the face, noticing the man charging at her and slashing his throat. "Wow you guys are worst then the last country," she chuckled, jumping onto a table before striking down and severing a man from the top of his shoulder across his chest and slicing him in half. Then she stood with her blade pointed at the other men, the thugs stepping back and too cowardly to face her. She smirked, grabbing the man that had first grabbed Alexis off of the ground and stabbed his chest, grabbing the money hanging from his side and letting the man slip out of her hands. "Here," Zahra huffed as she threw the bag of gold on the counter, "keep the change." She walked to the front and pushed Alexis out the door, Alexis' face in shock as she pushed her away.

The heads looked to the men on the ground, suddenly looking up to hear a horse neighing and the sounds of it galloping away. The old woman stepped out of the back, looking at the bartender as he shivered in fear. "Boy go clean this up!" she ordered him, the man staggering as he shoved the gold somewhere under the counter and ran around. "Interesting…" she thought, disappearing back and closing the curtain behind her.

As the men staggered back and watched the bartender clean up, a man sitting in the corner couldn't help but keep a smirk on his face. "I'll have to tell the king about this," he chuckled, getting up and pulling his burly brown hood over his face as he stepped over the bodies and left the inn.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra sighed, unable to sleep as she sat up in the bed she was forced to sleep in and stood up. She looked over at Alexis, who she assumed was asleep, and walked over to the balcony. She crossed her arms over the railing and looked outside, looking up to the sky and seeing the stars in the sky. She pouted. "One more night," she thought to herself, noticing that the moon was barely visible in the sky.

She had been true to her word that she had learned to control her powers, but yet she still had problems. Whenever the sky got dark, the moon vanishing in the sky, the voices in her head would intensify ten-fold. It was as if the strength of the powers she had increased in the darkness, as her dreams were always plagued with the dark. For some reason the dreams would become more real, a nightmare more than just a walk in the dark. At this point Zahra could push those dreams away, but when the sky became too dark she couldn't sleep. She shouldn't dream. She refused to go to sleep and see those nightmares, knowing exactly what would happen to her if she closed her eyes. About this time she'd be out doing something, working, keeping her mind away, but she promised Alexis she would stay. She shook her head and sighed, she wanted to leave. "Zahra," she heard behind her, Alexis coming up from behind and rubbing her shoulders, "are you okay?"

"… No I'm not," Zahra huffed, "I hate being locked up with nothing to do."

"… You know I think you should go," Alexis said, Zahra turning as Alexis gave her a smile. "I can see that a palace life isn't something you like. Even with all these privileges… well I want you to be happy Zahra. Just don't go overboard."

Zahra grinned, "I won't," she chuckled. She ran back into the room, throwing the nightgown she had on as she slipped on the dress Sheba had given her to use. She wrapped her black cloth belt around her waist and slipped the sword around the belt, throwing her black cloak around her neck before slipping on her shoes. "Thank you by the way," she chuckled, "I know how much you want me to stay."

"Well do come by if you're around," Alexis smiled as she watched Zahra get herself ready. "I figured long ago that running around till you pass out is something you've always done –"

"And probably something in my blood," Zahra laughed and snorted slightly. "Anyways I'll see you later Alexis. Don't let Seto get on your nerves."

"Of course," she chuckled, sighing as Zahra placed the hood over her face, swung her bag over her shoulder, and dashed out the balcony, jumping into the air. Alexis gasped and ran to the balcony, watching as the black cloak fanned behind her as Zahra landed on the ground. She looked up and blew Alexis a kiss, dashing into the shadows of the palace and disappearing into the sands.

Alexis smiled, though the smile on her face was waning. The skills Zahra had always frightened her, but she knew deep down that Zahra would never harm her and Seto. It had taken her years to track Zahra down, and now that she had it was hard letting her go. Zahra was like a bird, she never wanted to be caged. Alexis knew that, but she hoped Zahra would keep herself safe. She may say she can control her powers, but Alexis knew she would always have problems with them. "Bye Zahra," she smiled as she slumped on the railing and looked out to the sky, "I'll watch your work from afar."

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: And now I'm done with that, and geeze I'm tired DX I'm sorry, just my first week of summer courses has been hectic and I'm trying to change my classes so they're later in the day. It's worked! Don't be shy on commenting. I love comments! =D and I hope you guys are having a good day. SEE YOU LATER!**


	5. The Crafty Assistance

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Sorry that I haven't posted another chapter in a while. I was busy writing the upcoming chapters, actually, and I never really had time to review this. So there you go! I hope you enjoy ^^. Oh. And I'll warn you that TK Bakura shows up every once in a while… for now. He'll show up more later, but for now you're just getting to know what sort of person Zahra is**

! #$%^&*()

A large, majestic brown horse with white spots rode up to the top of a dune, a young woman sitting up straight and proud as she scanned the arid wasteland. "Go," she gently kicked the horse's stomach, the horse snorting as she trotted down the dune and took her time to make her way up the next dune. They had been traveling all night and all day, nonstop as the woman guided their way southwest. They had already passed the Nile and were trotting alone as the sun began to set, Zahra deciding it was about time to find a place to rest for the horse. She had to find an oasis first, find some water or some sort of drink so they could keep going. Zahra's plan was to continue her way southwest, out of Egypt and deep into the desert till she made it to the grasslands of Africa. She may have not been in the desert of Egypt for a while, but the desert was always her home. She knew how to find water, find shelter, and now that the sun was going down it was a great time to rest before heading out in the cool air of the night. She wouldn't stop riding till they left Egypt for good, but for now an hour or two would do the both of them some good.

Her eyes peered around before she kicked the horse, having the horse rush over the dunes and along a straight away. Zahra sighed as she had to hunch over and grip the reins, a cloud of sand blowing behind them as the wind started to pick up. Then she spied someone else in the desert with her, straggling along as their big brown cloak blew behind them. She watched the person fall to the ground in front of them, sighing as she turned the horse and galloped over to the fallen person. "Hey you," she called from above as she stopped the horse and jumped off, "are you okay?" Not hearing a sound she pulled out her sword, wondering if the person was playing dead to get a hold of her horse. She kicked the person over and noticed it was a man, panting and close to passing out as his eyes blinked slowly above. Zahra smirked. "Heatstroke," she realized, sighing as she slipped her sword back into the sheath and healed the man up. He groaned as she moved him, dragging him over to the horse and throwing him on the back. "Sorry," she chuckled and patted the horse's nose, jumping back on and gripping the reins. She held one hand around the man's waist as she continued back through the desert, desperately looking for water and shade.

By the time she had found anything the sun was already down, the stars high in the sky with the moon disappeared in the sky. Zahra shivered. The desert felt colder than usual, but she had to get to a source of water. Hearing the horse neigh Zahra looked up to see an oasis, pulling the reins and directing the horse to the rocks ahead. Once they stopped she jumped off, pushing the man off of the horse before leading the horse over to the water. She sighed as she quickly filled up her water skin and wetted a piece of cloth, rushing over to the man and spilling a third of the water on his face. He coughed and woke up, groaning as he blinked and tried to look at the woman standing above him. "Here drink this," she said, lifting his head and letting him sip from the skin before he started coughing up water. Then she set the wet rag on his forehead, leaving the man there as she drank the water from her skin before it was completely dry. Zahra sighed and refilled her water, noticing the horse was done and tying her to a rock. "Thanks girl," she patted her neck, grabbing a blanket that happened to be tied to the saddle and sprawling it out next to the rocks. She faced away from where the sun would be rising, since she supposed the man would want to rest for a while.

Then Zahra dragged the man onto the blanket, pulling the man's cloak off from around his neck and tucking it around him. Once she knew he was comfortable she walked over to the water, splashing the water in her face and cooling herself off. She'd wait for the man to awaken again or till the sun was setting the next day before heading out again. She didn't think she'd run into someone out here in the middle of nowhere, but at least she found him. A few more minutes and the man would have died or a wild animal would have gotten to him. Whatever. He was just lucky. She sat down, sitting on the top of the rocks and staring up at the sky. She couldn't rest now, but that way she could keep watch. She looked back to the man, wondering who he is and where he was going. There is practically nothing out here, except for perhaps hidden villages or other places no one goes to. Maybe that was it. He was a person from one of those places and was making his way home. She'd have to keep an eye on him, but looking at the light glow coming from his body she could tell the contents of his heart were somewhat clear. He had a lot of gray in his heart, but there was some good in there too. She smiled, her eyes slowly trailing down to the ground before she ended up staring back at the sky. This was going to take longer then she thought.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

The young man woke up, slowly and staggered. He groaned and placed a hand on his head only to find a half-wet piece of cloth left on his forehead. He blinked in confusion, noticing he was lying on a blanket. Had he passed out in the desert? After his horse was spooked and ran off he had to keep going, trying to find food or water to survive. He had dreamt a god in black and white with piercing jaded green eyes had saved him before he passed out, but perhaps he was wrong. He staggered as he sat up on his elbows, looking around to find himself sleeping next to the rocks. He looked up and noticed someone sitting up on the top of the rocks, looking off into the distance in deep thought. He had to admit, the person reminded him of his leader by the way they gazed at the setting sun, or he assumed it was setting. "About time you wake up," the woman said, his eyes widening once he realized he was saved by a woman as she looked over and down at him with a smile. "You had heatstroke and I saw you collapse. You've been out for a while, a whole night and almost the whole day. Good thing I found you when you fell over or else you'd probably be dead by now."

The man sighed, scratching his head and setting his brown cloak aside on the blanket as he tried to stand up. He could tell she was watching him, her stare a bit unnerving and waiting what he'd do next. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience –"

"It's quite alright," she told him. "We were looking for an oasis and we're able to find one before we lost you to the gods."

"W-we?" he asked.

"The horse," the woman pointed, the man looking over to see a horse trotting up to him and staring at him with uncertain eyes. "Her name is apparently Gamila and I stole her from this guy at a bar," she explained, "so when we come across a town or something I'll give her to you. You seen to have lost your horse anyways."

"Y-yes I did," he sighed as he staggered to his feet, his head spinning so he flopped back down, "b-ut you don't have to –"

"This horse was looking for a new owner anyways," she chuckled as she jumped down from the rocks and stood beside the mare, gently petting her nose as she neighed happily in reply. "Her owner was a bandit, but not a very good one and he ended up dying in a brawl. Besides she's taken a liking to you. She'd rather leave with you once we get into a town. I can't keep her anyways. I have places to go and people to see."

The man stared at her confused, sighing as he stood up again and looked around for the water. Noticing the small little pond close by to the horse he staggered over to it. She smirked as he fell to his knees and drank from the water, having to cough up some of the water from drinking quite too fast. Once she noticed he was done she pulled out a piece of bread, splitting it in half and reaching out half of it to him. "N-no I can't –"

"Eat it," she huffed, "or else you'll pass out again. I'm guessing from the stars and the fact that I didn't see any smoke or light for miles that we'll be in the middle of nowhere for a while. We should leave once the sun goes down and hopefully by sunrise we'll find a town or village. Tell me, was there a specific place you were trying to get to?"

He groaned, letting the piece of bread slip into his hands as he slowly chewed and swallowed. "N-not necessary," he tried to tell her between bites, "but I was aiming to reach Hierakonpolis. It looks like I haven't yet," he sighed.

"Then I'm not far enough," she mumbled to herself in thought, the man looking at her confused as she munched on her bread and looked out to the sand. "… Here's the plan. If you're some robber or something like that keep the robbing to a minimum. I'd rather not have to deal with it," she huffed, "because I'm just trying to get out of Egypt right now and I'd rather not be stopped by you stealing from the person that saved your life."

He blinked, a bit startled that she caught on to his intentions so quickly. "I-I won't have stolen from you," he told her, "because you seen to know where you're going."

"Good," she nodded. He looked up, watching her stare off into the sand as she finished her food.

She looked as if she was thinking deeply about something, but he couldn't place his finger on it. Not only that, but she looked familiar from somewhere; he just couldn't recall where. "… The name is Fazi," he told her, "and thank you for saving me."

"Yeah no problem," she shrugged, looking over at him with a bit of a smirk on his face. "The name is Ranpu. I had left Thebes and was making my way southwest."

"Thebes?" he questioned her. "So… hmmmm…" he thought. Then he shook his head before chuckling. "I found it funny that you'd think I am a robber. I actually am. I come from a group of raiders and thieves."

Zahra smirked. "Thief eh? Good luck with that. I wonder how good you are," she chuckled at him.

"Oh you don't think I'm good?" he huffed at her.

She shrugged, "Yes or no. I honestly don't care. Now let's get ready to go. The sun is almost down and we should start out before it gets dark." He nodded and watched as she went to the water, filling up her animal skin before walking over to the blanket and rolling it up.

Fazi wondered why this woman would go out of her way, for a thief no less, and save him and not even be bothered by the fact that he's a thief. He could rob her at any moment, steal her horse and ride off, but she didn't seem to care. Either she was clueless or she was seriously being kind to him, and he'd have to say it's probably the latter. Still thieves are considered almost the lowest of the low, probably the dung beetles of the desert. Yet she helped him, knowing he was a thief. He wondered how she knew, but right now they should get out of this oasis and get back to civilization. "I was wondering wom – Ranpu," Fazi began, getting Zahra's attention as she tied the blanket to the side of the horse before tying her hair up and throwing her brown bag strap over her shoulder to securing it in place, "how did you know I was a thief?"

Zahra chuckled; sighing as she made sure everything was in place before casually walking over to him. "I have been too many places," she began, "and after going around the world you pick up on little hints about a person's character and stature. Your clothes are old and ratty as if you've either been working hard or have been traveling for weeks, but there is no real order to your clothes. Your skirt looks to have come from a poor man while your shoes must have come from a noble by the embroidery. Your cloak has been used repeatedly, and how you hold the cloak around you shows you either won it off of a dead man or you have some other deep memory that ties you to the cloak. Your hands are dry and cracked and you have scars on your body. So by everything I described it shows you're simply a thief." Then she smirked, "And also I saw you in the Inn of the Lions the other day," she chuckled, "and I could tell you're a thief then too."

His eyes widened, realizing where he recalled her from. "Oh gods…" he shook his head before his mind settled and he chuckled. "You must have thought I was clueless, didn't you?"

"Nah," Zahra smirked, "I'd forget a bloody encounter if I had other things on my mind." The man nodded, watching Zahra jump onto the horse as he jumped up behind her. She grabbed the reins, knowing the man was still tired and needed to rest. Plus she wasn't going to hand over the reins to him. She had too much pride for that. "Just don't steal from me alright?" she told him, "Or else I'll have to kill you violently the next time I see you."

"Fine," Fazi nodded at her, "I'll keep that in mind." Zahra chuckled before yelling and cracking the reins, the horse dashing off into the desert towards the left of the sun as it began to set in the west.

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The two sighed, coming across the long river known as the Nile. "At least we have a water source now," Zahra thought aloud as she looked around, "but now the town…" She looked at the sky. The sun was starting to rise so they continued up the river searching for a town. "… I'd figure you'd steal this horse by now and try to rape me," she huffed suddenly as the horse continued next to the river and was climbing up a few rocks.

"Meh I don't see a need," Fazi shrugged, "you saved my life after all. May I ask why?"

"Bored," she sighed, "and you seem like a good guy."

"… Any place you were trying to get to?" he decided to ask.

"Just out of Egypt," she told him.

"… Why?" Fazi looked over at her, noticing the tired tone in her voice.

"… You wouldn't understand –"

"You don't know that unless you tell me," he chuckled. "What? Are you _afraid~_ of something –"

"You could say that," Zahra snuffed, thinking for a few more moments before sighing again. "Look Fazi I… well there's something here that I'd rather not come across again," she began in a tired voice, "and my sister had gone to great lengths to try to contact me **just** to see me. Now that talking to her is over, I think it's time I leave. I overstay my welcome all the time, apparently."

He blinked, "… What are you running away from?"

"… Memories," she decided to say, "and other things. Ummmm… and I'm cursed." Fazi coughed in surprise, Zahra chuckling at him as he coughed. "Yes you wouldn't think I am, but I've been called cursed plenty of times," she sighed. "When I stay in one place too long bad things start to happen. I think the Destroyer, Set, follows me around or something. I can usually stay for about a week before people start to die because of me. I don't know. It's probably something that sounds strange to you but –"

"No it's perfectly alright," Fazi chuckled. "Cursed eh? That sounds like a stupid reason to leave."

"… I knew you couldn't understand," Zahra chuckled back. "… Did I mention of my profession? It's also another reason why I'm always on the run."

"Nope," he smirked. "What is that?"

"Thievery," she looked behind to him and smirked, his eyes going wide as she snickered and looked back in front of them. "Never thought of it as a profession did you, but I do. When I was found and raised by a different family I had skills that no average citizen of Egypt would have right away. I could pick pocket for sport, hold my own in a brawl, and kill people on sight without flinching. As I grew up I started going for more elaborate things, stealing from noble houses and even trying different disguises like a slave or a lost noble child to get into places and steal what I wanted, valuable or not. I was a bothersome child. I just robbed for fun," she laughed at her thoughts, "but… well as I said I'm cursed. My adopted family wouldn't put up with me anymore so I left. I turned to the skills I knew to get by, surviving day by day on what I could find or steal. Well I turned thievery into my profession, but that's not all I do. I also take the time to save other people if I saw that I wouldn't be hurt in the process, and once I did that I felt better about the past I had. And I get hired to kill people too, but that's a different story," she smirked. "So? What do you think of me now?"

"… I'm still hung up on the fact that you call thievery a profession," he chuckled, Zahra laughing along with him, "but if you're a fellow thief I suppose I won't harm you."

"Good," she huffed, "because there are others who do and I'm honestly fed up with people like them."

Fazi nodded, "Understandable. You're a fruitful looking woman after all. I'm not surprised if someone would try taking advantage of you –"

"Which is why I'm confused to why you haven't yet," she snuffed.

"Because you saved me," he smirked, "and what others may not believe, I have a line I don't cross and someone saving my life is part of that line. If they save me I leave them with no harm. That's what I believe. Plus you're a fellow thief. As long as you don't steal from me I won't bother stealing from you."

"Good philosophy," she nodded, "there needs to be more thieves like you, men even. No one seems to have a good high moral sense it seems. Oh well. It's good to try I suppose."

"Right," he laughed, "and if you're wondering about other thieves like me, there are you know."

"No I don't," Zahra looked behind at him confused. "I've only been here for… maybe a week or two. I haven't been in Egypt in years and I don't care about the politics. So I don't pay attention to the reports," she shrugged.

"Well you're in luck," Fazi smirked, "because I happen to know _all~_ about the gossip and information around here –"

He paused, their heads snapping to the water as they started to hear a scream. "Sorry, have to take this," she chuckled, cracking the reins as the horse went into a gallop and rushed along the edge of the river. Looking around she found where the screaming had come from, seeing someone in the middle of the river reaching up for air. Zahra sighed as she jumped off of the horse, deciding saving this person would be better even if she lost a mere horse to the other thief in the process. Besides she'd give it to him anyways. No big deal. Before Fazi could react Zahra threw off her cloak and her bag, pulling out a piece of rope from her bag and tying it around her. Then she leapt into the water, swimming as fast as she could to the person who was drowning in the center.

The current was strong by the time Zahra made it to the person, a woman who must have fallen into the river while she was taking a dip or filling up her jug of water. Once Zahra had hold of her with one hand she created a lasso with the rope in the other, spinning it above her head as she kept her head above the water before throwing it to the bank. Luckily the loop of the rope caught hold of a large tree branch and she pulled to make sure the rope was tight and the branch wouldn't snag. "Hey watch out!" the woman yelped, Zahra's eyes widening as she finally noticed the waterfall. Zahra growled and gripped the rope tightly, using her hand to pull them to the bank of the Nile and getting farther away from the fall. Then they heard a_** 'crack'**_, Zahra looking up to see that the branch was cracking from their weight and the mighty flow of the river. In a flash her attention went to the rope around her waist, trying to undo the knot and noticing it was too tight. She grabbed a dagger that was hidden under her dress and started cutting the rope, cutting it just in time as the large branch broke and fell into the river as the rope let them go and they went over the side. Fazi heard screaming and the horse jumped up startled, Fazi whispering to the horse and calming her down before looking at the stuff she had left at the bank and eyeing them suspiciously.

Zahra yelped and the woman in her arm screamed as they fell over the side, acting quickly and grabbing hold of a rock that was sticking out of the waterfall. Her other hand gripped the blade of her dagger with the other hand, refusing to let go as she held onto the woman tightly. She waited and expected the dead branch to fall over the side, watching it tumble towards them as the woman yelled and gripped Zahra protectively. Zahra gripped the rock tighter and tried to pull them closer to the waterfall, groaning and biting her teeth in pain as she felt a piece of the branch scrap her hand while the branch tumbled past them and fell into the waters below. The woman squeaked, looking up at Zahra's face and noticing the grimace look as she clutched her teeth and gripped her waist tightly. "A-are you okay –"

Zahra didn't give her time to answer as she pulled them up, Zahra climbing onto the rock and noticing it could fit just one of them as she held the woman in her hand and slipped the dagger back under her dress with the other. She hissed, noticing the freezing blood on her hands as she sighed. "Hes," she hissed, the woman biting down her lip and noticing the pain on Zahra's face.

"I'm sorry –"

"It's alright," Zahra chuckled, "but right now let's get out of this mess." Since she had left her cloak and bag on shore and lost the rope she had stolen there was no way to get out, but she wouldn't tell this woman that. She ripped off two long pieces of the end of her dress and wrapped it around her hands, using her teeth to knot them with one hand before sighing. There had to be a way, there always was –

"Hey are you still there?" Fazi yelled from the edge of the waterfall.

"Yeah!" Zahra yelled back, "But we're stuck on a rock –"

"Hang on!" Fazi told them, rustling to Gamila's saddle bag to find some rope. He tied it to around the trunk of a stable looking tree and making sure it was secure before throwing it over the side. "… Got it –"

"I have it!" Zahra yelled back, gripping the woman tightly as she wrapped the rope around the hand that she had cut herself with and pulled them up the waterfall. Once they made it to the bank the woman cried out and jumped onto the ground, Zahra sighing as she flop over in the mud and looked up to the sky, tired and bleeding. "D-didn't think you'd stay," Zahra chuckled, Fazi chuckling back before he noticed that her hands were bleeding.

"Shit Ranpu," he snarled and looked to the bag, not noticing a first aid kit and grumbling as he tried to think of a way to help her.

Before he could find anything Zahra stumbled to her feet, leaning her shoulder against the trunk of a nearby tree as she looked to her hands and sighed. "It's alright Fazi," she told him with a weak smile, "I'll live. It's just a few flesh wounds."

He shook his head and chuckled, "You're an idiot," he laughed. "You're like my leader, such an idiot –"

"Whatever," Zahra smirked back, stumbling over to the woman and helping her up. "So are you okay?" she decided to ask.

"Y-yes," the woman gulped, "t-hank you. I-I didn't think you'd –"

"Well now that we're alive could you tell me where you come from?" Zahra asked her.

"Ummm…" the woman thought, pointing up the river, "I live in Amaunet just up the river –"

"No Ranpu," Fazi growled as he stood over the woman, "this woman comes from a hidden village, a set of villages called the AmAuNet that are said to be cursed –"

"Please miss," the woman begged as she pressed her head to the ground and bowed to her, "I can give you food and drink. You saved my life after all. I can't let you go till I treat… your wounds."

They watched as Zahra walked over to her stuff, wrapping the black cloak around her neck and placing the strap of her bag around her shoulder before sighing and looking at the woman. "Cursed you say?" Zahra smirked, "Well if you're so scared Fazi you can take the horse and go –"

"No I'm staying with you," he huffed. "I don't think I've accomplished my own code yet and it's not alright for someone, even a strong woman like yourself, to go into a cursed place like AmAuNet."

"Whatever," Zahra snorted and ushered the girl with a smile, grabbing Gamila's reins and following the girl while Fazi sighed and followed behind them. "What were you doing next to the waters?" she asked.

"I-I was trying to get some water and…" the woman sighed. "I'm sorry. I fell in and I didn't even think any travelers would come by. No one comes through here and avoids this part of the Nile because of where I live."

"So why is it cursed?" Zahra asked with a smirk.

"W-well…" she looked away sheepishly. "It's…"

"The AmAuNet village used to be a large town, created to hold royal tomb builders for an ancient Egyptian pharaoh," Fazi chuckled, "I figured you would have heard about this Ranpu."

"I don't pay attention to gossip unless it'll help me," Zahra shrugged.

"Anyways there are four villages total: Amenhotep as the village of the laborers, Aut as the village of the warriors or where the royal guards would precede, and Netem-Mennefer that is called the leader village consisting of two villages, Netem the village in the west side and Mennefer in the east side." Fazi pointed up the river, up at a pyramid that had several statues and even an old temple that wasn't upkeep. "A great pharaoh that had expanded Egypt had built this place so they could build him a great tomb till his death, but the man didn't die of natural causes. Because of this the ghost of the old pharaoh is said to haunt this place, taunting the villagers and even causing many to go possessed –"

"That's only a rumor," the woman huffed, "and you shouldn't believe everything you hear –"

"Over time the villages were lost and forgotten, only a few merchants come here and even know of this place. When they come back they tell of horror stories of people walking the streets of night, the ghosts of the dead as they call it," Fazi continued. "Because of the information that was sent through the kingdom, everyone expects the villages to be cursed. So the place became called AmAuNet, the Hidden Cursed Villages. It is located along the Nile between Hermonthis and Latopolis, but this place is closer to Latopolis then Hermonthis. There you go."

"Wow," Zahra chuckled, "that's the worse set of gossip I've heard in a while." Fazi narrowed his eyes while the woman chuckled lightly, sighing as she led them up a dune past the temple and towards one of the villages. "You don't believe that I have a curse, but you think **these** villages are cursed? It's either both or none really. Besides I don't count anything cursed or haunted till I see for myself."

"W-well thank you miss," the woman smiled happily. "The man is wrong. We aren't cursed, just misunderstood. Though we've become very poor because we don't work for the pharaoh and he's forgotten about us," she sighed, "and we don't know what to do."

"How about you bring me to your village and fix my hand before we decide of leaving or not," Zahra smiled at Fazi, "if that's alright with you."

"I shouldn't be in no hurry," he sighed, "but once the moon starts to come back in the sky I'll have to leave. I have some stuff to do –"

"Of course," Zahra nodded, turning her back to him as she followed the woman and led the horse through the edge of the villages. Fazi frowned. This woman should know of this place if she is a woman of Egypt. Perhaps she doesn't care or was toying with the woman. He smirked. Maybe Ranpu wanted to see what lied in the villages, see if it's as cursed as they say. Then he chuckled. She'll soon learn they are, for even his leader left after a few nights spent in the darkness of the villages, the Cursed Hidden Villages of AmAuNet. Though he wasn't thrilled about this because the leader had been here when the moon was around and the curse was less intense. Now that the moon was gone they could wind up into trouble, Ranpu mainly for being curious.

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**A/N: And that's where it ends today. _Oh no~ Cursed~~_. I wonder how they'll get out of this one, or how Fazi will XD Zahra doesn't seem to care. Anyways I hope you've enjoyed this. I wonder how many of you guys can guess who Fazi works for XD Well I'll leave you guys now. DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT! I like comments =3**

Fazi – Arabic – grace, generosity

Gamila – Arabic – beautiful

Amaunet – Egyptian – hidden

Amenhotep – Egyptian – peace of Amen

Aut – Egyptian – Egyptian god; "triumph"

Netem-Mennefer – The Delight of Memphis


	6. The Cursed AmAuNet

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! Since I don't want to do homework right now I'll review this chapter and post it up! ^^ So I hope you've been enjoying this story so far. Remember I do take OC requests. Its hard coming up with names all the time DX But anyways you'll start to see Bakura soon… or interaction between others I should say XD Well hope you enjoy!**

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They looked around, the woman bringing them into a tent towards the outskirts of one of the villages. It was a village off to the side, farther away from the other three villages Fazi had described to Zahra. "I live in Amenhotep," the woman explained as she let them walk into the tent first as Zahra tied the horse up to a post before walking inside. "I-I'm the descendent of a slave, but that's alright. I don't care," she smiled to them, ushering Zahra to sit down on her bed as she knelt next to her and began to take off the cloth around her hands. "If you need some food there's some in that chest over there," she told Fazi, "I-I live alone so I don't have a lot to give you, but take your fill if you'd like."

Fazi opened the chest and huffed, only seeing a little bit of dried meat and a small portion of bread. He closed the chest and instead sat upon it, Zahra looking at him confused as she let her face grow still and calm. She let the woman tend to her wounds, putting a small amount of alcohol on her hands to clean off the cuts before wrapping her hands in the bandages she had. On her left hand was the large scrape on the top of her hand where the branch had scraped her. On her right hand was a long cut mark in the palm of her hand, bruised and larger and redder then it should be because she had used that hand to climb up the side of the waterfall with. This wasn't the best treatment she could have had and she could do it herself with her own supplies, but Zahra figured she'd let the woman heal her to the best of her abilities since she had saved her life after all. "So you live alone?" she decided to ask.

"Y-es," the woman nodded as she slowly wrapped her hands and winced at the scars her wounds would probably leave. "My mother died giving birth to me and my father died while he was in a different village. I can't really get a job here because we barely have money and food is scarce here, so I don't have a lot to offer. Only the things the merchants come here with every month or so. I do hunt small game, but that's about it. There's a wild dog pack around here so it's even harder to find food, so if there's no food I sometimes have to kill one of them," she sighs. "Anyways my name is Jalila. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you when I met you."

"It's alright," Zahra smirked once the woman was done tying the bandages on her hands. "My name is Ranpu and that is –"

"Fazi," he nodded to the woman.

Jalila smiled, standing up and stretching her arms. "Well I'd offer you two to stay for the night, but I know how you must feel about this place so –"

"Actually I'd like to see more of these villages," Zahra smiled to her, "they sound interesting."

"Believe me it's not," she sighed. "I'd leave, but I have no way of leaving this place unless I go over the waterfall or perhaps walk to the nearest town along the Nile River. Still I hear that will take a day or two by foot, so I wouldn't want to risk that."

Zahra nodded, standing up and rubbing her hands to get used to the pain before rustling into her bag and looking at the items she had. Mostly to make sure Fazi didn't steal anything, but all she had was food, water, and other basic things like a small first aid kit and a small coin container of money. Even that wasn't stolen, so she was relieved about that. Still by the looks of the villages they don't have any horses or a different animal for transportation. The only way she'd be able to leave is by riding Gamila or stealing from one of the merchant carts that came by. "Do tell me," Zahra began as she walked out of the tent and patted the horse on the nose, "when will the next merchant caravan get here?"

"Well…" Jalila thought as Fazi followed behind them and let the tent flap close behind him. "… they come once a month. I think the next caravan will come in a few days actually, five to be exact."

"Great," Zahra smirked as she turned to Fazi with a grin. "Then take Gamila and leave. I can work everything else out on my own."

"But –"

"Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm stupid," Zahra huffed as she took out a few pieces of bread and fed it to Gamila. "I already told you everything and there's nothing else you need to know. I suggest you get going now that the day is almost out if you don't want to be stuck with this _'curse'_ –"

"I figure you'll be trying to get out kicking and screaming by tomorrow," Fazi smirked and loomed over her. "Though I'm not one to leave a woman distort, if you're truly sure you want me to go –"

"I-I can take care of both of you," Jalila told the both of them, holding her hands up and trying to stop their bickering. "I-it's not a problem if t-hat's why you –"

"Nope that's not it at all," Zahra chuckled, poking Fazi's chest and walking a few steps away. "He's complaining about this place so I figured he'd like to leave before it gets dark. Plus if the caravan will only take a few more days I'll just wait for them to come by. No big deal," she shrugged. "Now if Fazi will be on his way you can show me around the villages."

Jalila nodded and ushered her away, Fazi looking at the horse and gently patting her nose before sighing and following after them. "Gods this woman is stubborn," he mumbled under his breath, enough for the women to not hear. Still she reminded him of his leader, but in this situation it would be better for her to use her head instead of walking around a cursed village. Whatever. At the first sign of trouble he'll leave, with or without the woman. Besides he had to report back. He'd finished all the places he had to get to and if he doesn't get to Hierakonpolis in two days he'll miss his leader. Fazi shrugged. This woman was a lot more interesting than sending the man a message anyways. He'd go to Hierakonpolis and figure out where he went, probably back to Valley of the Kings or something like that. It won't be hard. Just as long as he avoids this place he'll be alright.

Zahra's face slowly turned grim, looking at the streets as the villagers began to leave their homes and walk around. Many didn't even have homes, a few living in the alleys and using blankets to shield themselves from the elements. No one looked at them as they walked by, looking to their own devises and figuring they were another lost soul as them. Even as the woman showed them into Aut and even Netem-Mennefer everything was desolate, barely any sign of life except for the occasional howls and cries from a newborn infant. "… So you never thought about using the Nile as farmland?" Zahra decided to comment, Fazi looking at her as if she was crazy while Jalila only sighed and looked around.

"We've tried almost everything," she began, "but we don't have any money coming in. Even if someone invested their money into farmland the food will be considered cursed and no one would buy it. You can thank the merchants for this. It was their rumors that made these villages impoverished."

"That's awful," Zahra shook her head, following her as they made their way into the center where the pyramid and temple lied.

"It is," Jalila tried to smile, "but this is all we have. Come I'll show you into the temple." They followed behind her and Fazi searched around for something to steal, his eyes quickly becoming uninterested as he noticed that there was practically nothing in there. The statues were cracked and the altar was broken, everything that could have been used for money sold or stolen long ago. There looked to have been gold on the floor and even on the statues, but they had been taken away for one reason or another. "This is how it is in the pyramid," Jalila explained, "because our ancestors went through everything once we stopped getting money and tried to ravage all the gold, silver, and gems we could find. Now nothing is left, only fading writings on the wall and emotionless gods that stare down at us from above and taunt us. No one likes to come in here anymore, except for those who are having a mental breakdown and think praying to the gods will help. We're always praying for a savior to come, but after years and years of waiting no one has arrived." She sighed, "But we try. We work together to feed each other, though I know people save stuff for their families then share everything with the rest of us. We get rations for the month and anything else we get is either from the river or the animals. Nothing else."

"What a shame," Zahra thought, looking up at the hieroglyphics and placing a hand upon the fading words and wishing she could read it. "If only the kingdom could give you a chance instead of pushing you off to the side. I think that's what happened to my village," she sighed, "but instead of sitting around and dying we stood up and did something about it."

"Oh?" Jalila asked, Fazi looking over at her with intrigue. "Like what?"

"We stole," Zahra chuckled and walked along the wall and pressing her hand to the wall, "we stole and took back what was ours. We stole from neighboring towns and expanded our village. We were a hidden village too, but I know it was more hidden then this. This really isn't a hidden village, more like a village in an obvious place along the river that people naturally avoid because they think it's cursed. I don't know if my village was cursed or not, but I know I was taught there to steal things. To jip people off and take from nobles. Of course we took care of our own, that's the important thing, and everything was secret. We were a proud village…" She sighed and placed her hand off of the wall, noticing a large eye on top of a book in the pharaoh's hand. "What's that?" she pointed to the book.

"They call that the Millennium Tome," Jalila explained as she looked up at the pictures. "The story is that the pharaoh that had lived and is buried here had written the book himself, possessed by the gods to do so. It says that there are spells in the book; ancient spells that even the pharaoh didn't know how to translate. Also it is said that there was several wars and battles to get this book, but no one has. It stays in the palace."

"I-t's in the palace?" Zahra looked over at her, Fazi looking over with as much interest as her. "So this book is still around?"

"Yes," Jalila nodded. "This place is the only place, outside of the palace, that knows that this book exists. Since no one passes into other villages the tale isn't widely known… and perhaps I shouldn't have told outsiders like yourselves," she realized.

"It's alright," Zahra smirked, "I was only asking… So this is a spell book?"

"Yes Ranpu," she answered.

"… Has there been any spells that the pharaoh may have used?" she decided to ask.

"… Not that I know of," Jalila told her, "but then again we don't know. All we know is that the pharaoh that is buried here had created that book, told to directly by the gods. Even if it was created by the gods for man it's more like a test, for it is said that there is dark magic within and if man translates the scriptures and uses the magic then the world will turn to chaos and could be destroyed. It's just a legend though. Nothing to worry about."

Fazi looked over at Zahra, noticing the slight smirk that was growing on her lips. "… **Millennium** Tome… hmmmm… well perhaps it's about time we get out of this heat," she told Fazi, "and I'll be staying so expect me to stay the night. What about you Fazi?"

"Ummm… I'll just stay," he shrugged. "As I said, once the moon starts to appear is when I need to get going. I'll stay for now… if you change your mind."

"I'll have you know that it takes a little more than a curse to change my mind," Zahra huffed as they walked out of the temple, "besides this place intrigues me. There's a lot of history here that even the pharaoh of Egypt doesn't know about." Jalila nodded as Fazi sighed, shaking his head. Zahra kept smirking, walking behind the two of them as she thought to herself. If there's a magic spell book then perhaps it's associated with the Millennium items… and if they are perhaps she will be able to find out her connection to those items. Maybe it would be a good idea to go back to Thebes and find that book, but then Zahra sighed. Now she realized why she ended up here. For one, to help these villages and two was her connection to the items. "Damn gods," she mumbled under her breath. This was a temptation for her to stay, just a bit longer so they could try to control her. Well even if she does she won't give them the satisfaction. If these villages need her she'll stay, but if they don't she'll go. Plus she was wondering why this place was cursed and she guessed that tonight she'll find out the reason why.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

The place was silent, the desert calm, but Zahra couldn't sleep. No, she never was going to sleep tonight. She couldn't. It took her twelve years of her life, but she trained herself to not sleep at long intervals of time. That may cause her body to grow weak, to decay faster than one would want, but sleep was the last thought on her mind right now. First was this place she ended up in, AmAuNet: the Hidden Cursed Villages. What made them cursed and how could they still be to this day? Was it because of the Millennium items or perhaps that Millennium Tome Jalila told her about? It was probably the latter, since this village was here much longer than those items. Secondly were the people of the village themselves. Were they truly possessed? Laying on a bedspread and looking over to Jalila she doesn't seem to be controlled, but for all Zahra knew she would be once she left. Thirdly were her dreams, her nightmares, and her own shadows. Perhaps they are connected here in some way? It was a long shot, but it was something she had always been searching for. If there is some connection to her old village here perhaps she'll come across her home, but did Zahra really want to find out about her past? That's what terrified her, her past. Something bad took place in her childhood home, she figured out that much, but sadly she couldn't figure out what had happened and why it took place. All she knew was go forward keep moving along a road and never backwards, and perhaps she'll come across her past. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that there wasn't a home to go back to, but she had to try and find out. The reason for her departure was to escape her nightmares and continue searching for her past life, hoping she had lived somewhere else and not in Egypt. It seems she hasn't had luck, but now was the time to change her problems.

Zahra decided to leave her bag where it lay, nothing truly useful in the bag that she already had on her person. Shifting off of the spread in a calm, quiet manner she made her way out of the tent, closing the flap behind her before she wrapped her cloak around her neck and walked through the villages in the same way they had that morning. Everything was creepier at night, but yet the air was also calmer. She had always come across this awful chill in the air on her adventures, knowing full well what was in the air as she walked by. She smirked and continued, letting the wind follow her as she stood between the villages. Zahra sighed, closing her eyes and concentrating on the world around her. If this place was truly haunted she would be the person to know, for she had come across many haunted places along her travels and lost souls along the way. Perhaps that's why she was there, to help these villages. She just had to figure out what the ghosts' intentions were first.

The cloaked woman hadn't noticed the man that had been following behind her, hidden under his big brown burly cloak. Fazi wondered why this woman could be so calm. He could feel the chill in the air, the movement of someone following him from behind, but she didn't seem to notice. Either spirits in the village had possessed her or she truly wasn't afraid, "As Bakura…" he thought in a quiet whisper as he hid behind a wall and stared at Zahra as she stopped in the middle of the villages and closed her eyes. Yes, it was no mistaking it. She must have a power that his leader has, but even that man had tried to come here and was forced to leave. The thing is, did he leave because he was afraid or leave because he was told to? That's what the others were trying to figure out when they heard the story. Bakura wasn't a man to run away, to leave when he's standing face to face with death itself. Many called him scared, but then again since AmAuNet was a known haunted place no one criticized his judgment. If so this woman may be able to answer his questions, show him why his leader had left this place. This may not be the greatest place to steal from, but these villages had a great supply of potential thieves and slaves. This was also a potential hideout, since this place is considered a ghost town and no one would come here for fear of being possessed and disappearing. Perhaps the place really is possessed and that's why Bakura left. He huffed. If something happened to this woman he was going to run off, take that horse and ride off for Hierakonpolis or just turn around and go to the Valley of the Kings. Either way he would make it out of here, alive and intact even if he had to walk the whole way. His eyes widened when he saw a glow around her, the shine taking the form of humans as they stood around her.

Zahra looked up, smiling at them as they stared at her with unsure eyes. "I felt your presence," she told them softly with a bow, "who are you? Do you care to tell me?"

The spirits only whispered to each other, their voices too soft for anyone to hear and even speaking in several different languages at once. She breathed in and prepared herself, feeling the ghosts taking her energy as they stood near her. When dealing with ghosts she couldn't back down, for if she did all her energy would be drained and she wouldn't wake up for weeks. It happened once, in a necropolis up north among a Nordic tribe, but during that experience she learned what she had to do when encountering the dead. She waited patiently, mentally telling herself to keep breathing calmly as she continued to feel their chill. "You soul," a ghost stood in front of her, his face vacant with his arms crossed over his chest, "you one of us? You feel like a dead spirit… Are you?"

"Only a lost soul, sadly," Zahra chuckled lightly. "My name is Ranpu and I have taken on many names. My famous name thus far is the Skia Diana."

"Does that mean you hunt us spirits?" the ghost asked.

"Not exactly," she shook her head, "I bring the shadows behind me as I walk, summoning creatures of the shadows to do my biding. I am a hunter, fighter, and warrior. I ended up here because I needed a place to rest. I didn't even know you were here, but perhaps fate has brought me here."

"Perhaps," the ghost nodded to her. "… You still don't seem to be part of the living. Just what are you?"

"I honestly do not know myself," she told them, "perhaps **you** do?"

"… Come this way," the ghost instructed, the rest of the spirits dissipating into the air. "You seem calm around a bunch of ghosts."

"I'm… used to these sorts of places mister," Zahra smiled to him, "and trust me I've come across many lost souls on my travels. So were you here when this village was created or before then?" The ghost stayed silent and only showed her the way, bringing her to the entrance of the pyramid.

Fazi gulped, hiding behind a wall as he followed them from afar and watched what would happen next. "Many have gone into this pyramid and perished," the ghost began, "and for those who have left they have gone mad from what they have seen inside. If you wish to stay in this village you must prove yourself. I can tell from your soul that you are a thief at heart. Bring that comrade you have hiding over there by the wall," he pointed as Fazi tried to continue to hide, "with you if he wishes to live. If you make it to the end and see what is in store I will let you stay. I can tell you hold great powers, but we do not trust you just yet."

Zahra nodded and looked at the wall Fazi was hiding behind, chuckling as she shook her head. "If you don't come with me little thief the ghosts will be angry and chase after you," she told him, "and trust me you don't want a group of ghosts chasing you. So come with me into the pyramid."

"They're probably tricking you, you know," Fazi huffed as he left the safety of the wall and slowly made their way towards them, noticing how tight the air was next to Zahra. "We'll go in there and our souls will be eaten."

"Well we don't know unless we try," Zahra chuckled and slowly opened the entrance, expecting Fazi to follow. "Besides you're in the hands of an expert. Stay out of my way and maybe you'll leave in one piece." Fazi snorted, following behind her as the door suddenly closed behind them. Okay **now** he was terrified. He looked at the woman like she was crazy for even bringing him into this place. If he died he was going to haunt her till the day she decayed in this world, he growled under his breath as he followed behind her. Still she did look like she knew what she was doing, taking the lead and looking around in the dark for a source of light or perhaps a torch to light their way. Perhaps he wouldn't die, perhaps… he should have left when he had the chance.

She knew that not all thieves were grave robbers. Grave robbing was tricky business, though usually never ended up with someone catching you since the traps in the pyramid can snare you and cause you to fall to your death or be impaled or lose your way and dying of starvation and thirst. She had tried grave robbing several times, but she never found satisfaction with it. No one was usually there to catch her and the quietness that came with grave robbing was unnerving. She only tried when she either hated or knew the buried to be evil, or for practice. In her youth she did wander into a pyramid and almost ended up dead, but she was able to make her way out of the grave before the sun rose. That gave her a reason to always memorize her landscape, down to the smallest insect and more importantly the tiniest of trap. Suddenly Zahra held out her hand to stop Fazi from moving. "Why did you stop –"

"See those ropes and pullies?" Zahra pointed up to the sky as the faded light came in through the top. "This is a trap. I wish there was a way we could get light so I'd see where I'm going –"

"Here I have some flint and steel in my pockets," he told her, "and there was a torch a few feet away that I noticed." Zahra nodded and waited for him in the spot she had stopped at, not waiting for too long as he came back and set the torch down on the ground and pulled out his items. "Now hold onto the torch and I'll light it on fire."

Zahra did as he instructed and knelt down on one knee, inching away from the traps knew lay ahead as she held the torch to him and he began. Fazi stroked the flint and steel together and after about ten tries he got the fire going. "How did you learn that –"

"It's a little something I picked up," Fazi smirked as he stood up and put his flint and steel back into his pockets. "Everyone has their own little skills. Someone taught me how to make fires and I've been doing so ever since."

"Ah I see," Zahra nodded, giving him a smile as she stood up and brushed the dust from her dress. "While we go through this how about I tell you something about myself and you tell me something about yours?"

"Sounds fair," Fazi chuckled as he watched her cautiously, Zahra walking back to the spot she had been at and looking around. "I already went so you start."

Zahra nodded and slowly made her way across the edge of the wall, Fazi following in perfectly behind her and trusting her footwork as they made their way across. Then she leapt and landed at the end, Fazi jumping beside her as she gave him a smirk. "Well I used to live in Egypt," Zahra smiled, "and came back because my adopted sister asked me to."

"Adopted?" he questioned her as they walked through a corridor as the sky disappeared from view.

"I was found when I was young in the desert with burns all over my body. I had no inkling of who I was and where I had come from. Even forgot how to speak – Stop," Zahra instructed him as they came to another trap, the woman looking around and knowing exactly how to get through as she stared at the ground and pressed her feet on the right tiles she needed to get across. Fazi followed after her till they got to the end, starting up their conversation again as they walked casually deeper into the pyramid. "I forgot how to speak and everything I knew," she continued, "but over time I remembered snippets. Still I don't know everything. I don't know where I came from or my previous life. It's a mission of mine to find those memories, but after a while I gave up. So I worked on these natural skills I must have had in my previous home and trained in secret."

"Secret?" he asked. "Why would you need to do that –"

"Fazi I already answered enough," Zahra chuckled. "It's your turn."

He shook his head and sighed, looking up as Zahra stopped him again and surveying the trap. She looked around and jumped up high, grabbing hold of a hole in the wall and crawling inside. Fazi looked up confused and followed her, Zahra giving him room to crawl inside before they continued through the pyramid. "… When I was a child I had an abusive father," he decided to begin, "and he would beat me, my siblings, and my mom when he came back every night from a tavern. We were a poor family and I was a young child in a sea of nine children, about to be ten. My mother could barely feed all of us and my father wasn't helping us. I don't know why my mom stayed, but she did. My older brother, however, had different plans –" Fazi paused, seeing that Zahra had stopped and was looking around.

"Shoot I hate these types of traps," Zahra sighed as she looked around.

"What do you see –"

"They're using mirrors to detect movement. If we block one of the mirrors the trap will be triggered. I think it's an array of arrows that will fly at us," she nodded. "So how to get through?..."

"That's pretty elaborate for an old pyramid –"

"Well perhaps the kingdom after the time this geezer died had lost funding and couldn't invest in mirrors. Then the idea was forgotten, but it's a great idea. If you don't know of those traps you'll end up dead," Zahra chuckled and continued out of the hole. She stopped Fazi with her hand and had him wait in the hole in the wall, grabbing a handful of sand and throwing it up in the air. "Use the sand to guide your way," she told him, "because of our heights you may get caught in a trap above your head that I'd just miss. Now be cautious and take the same moves I do. Throw the sand and dust in the air so we can see… ready?"

"Ready," Fazi nodded and jumped down, noticing the stream of light reflecting off of the mirrors. Up high there was a mirror that reflected the light above, the reason why this trap was working. Though this trap wasn't as affective when it's the middle of the day, it's still tricky to get by. Fazi moved cautiously and followed behind Zahra, wondering how many times she must have robbed a grave to know about these sorts of traps. He never heard of this and he's robbed a few graves himself! What is this woman hiding from him?

Once they left the room Zahra let out a sigh, looking around before continuing on. "So continue. Something about your brother?"

"My brother was my idol and I followed him everywhere. He was like the father I never had," he smiled. "We made plans to leave by horse, leaving our home behind and riding nonstop till we made it to the next village, then the nearest town. We kept riding till the horse was worn out, ending up in a town close to Busiris in Lower Egypt. We spent months there, pick pocketing and stealing food. Actually I was pretty good at it, but my older brother was horrible. You'd think the oldest would know right?" Fazi chuckled. "While we were stealing from this guy he turned around and caught my brother. He told me to run so I did, but I watched from afar as his hand was placed down on a rock and chopped off. Once he had left I grabbed my brother and brought him away, trying to stop the bleeding as frantically as I could.

"Then out a nowhere a boy a few years older than I was, about my brother's age, came up and helped us. He complimented my work and took care of my brother, having to stay with the boy for about a month or two. It was actually a hideout, a den of thieves, and I ended up joining as my older brother stayed behind and let me run off." Fazi smiled at the thought, sighing and causing Zahra to turn around with an eyebrow raised as he decided to stop. "He… well it was odd. He was a great boy and a brilliant thief. Some called him cursed and a demon because of his white hair, but I thought he was the coolest person on earth, next to my older brother. Anyways my brother had encouraged me to be a thief because he was dying, getting an infection and not bothering to tell me before it was too late. His explanation was because he didn't want me to worry, seeing that I would live a good life with the man and died years ago. So I followed the boy every since, the boy climbing up the ranks till… Well that's enough of that," he chuckled lightly, "it's your turn again."

Zahra smiled to him, Fazi noticing that he had stopped and coughing to himself before continuing. She walked along for a while, not bothering to say anything till they came upon another trap. It was a simple trap to the traps they had been through before, scooting across the wall and pressing their bodies tight on the edge as they made it across and walked into a room. The room had no traps and they continued, Zahra sighing before she decided to speak. "I had to train in secret because my talents consisted of pick pocketing and thievery in general," she chuckled, "with some fighting skills rolled into one. It came natural to me, but my mother didn't like this idea of me being a thief. We were poor, but she had high hopes for her children and even though I was adopted and the other two were her own children she prayed to the gods to give me worth and prestige too.

"Anyways I would train in secret at night, first sneaking into houses and stealing items or placing them randomly around the village we lived in or fighting invisible creatures. They were things I made up in my head, but sometimes… sometimes I actually thought someone was fighting me," she laughed, "but it was probably a child's memory. I also befriended a bunch of animals, wild dogs and jackals being my favorite. During my night expeditions I'd go to their dens if they wanted me to, playing with the little pups or running with them to catch game. I actually learned a lot from those animals and still have a knack for talking to them," she smirked. "It's odd, but it's true. It all started with this jackal that came up to me one day, keeping an eye on me the day we met. I was able to learn how to ride horses and learn commands, listening to other people and knowing a few I came up with that worked with different horses. I developed my skills an secret and told no one of my training, but my siblings eventually figured it out and ushered me to stop. I never slowed down though, which was a good and bad thing. I got more elaborate and would leave for days at a time, going to temples and pyramids and robbing from them. I was caught once, but I broke free by stabbing the man in the hand and dashing away…" Zahra sighed as they came upon another trap, taking her time to get across and careful to not trigger the loose stones that would trigger one trap or another. They were coming near the end, Zahra stopping towards the end and looking back to Fazi with a smile. "Well I suppose it's your turn now," she chuckled lightly.

"Nope," he smirked and stood beside her, "tell me why you left Egypt."

"Fine," Zahra huffed, "I suppose I will…" She clicked her feet on the ground and continued down the hallway, trying to spot the next trap since she felt they weren't out of the woods yet. "… I had gotten back from a day journey, not having told anyone that I had left. When I arrived my village was on fire, riding the horse into the middle of the flames to the home we lived in. I looked inside to find my sister trapped, my mother and brother nowhere to be found. I grabbed her and jumped out the back door to avoid the flames, looking up in horror to see a large white dragon high in the sky." She stopped and turned to Fazi, the man having stopped as she stared at him with a wide grin on his face. "My brother thought I summoned it, thinking I had used dark magic to summon a creature… again. I think that was one other thing I forgot to tell you that I use magic. Well I'm telling you now," she shrugged and continued down the hallway. "Anyways my brother found us resting right outside of the village. He accused me of killing our mother and I told him I didn't even see her in the building. My sister told us our mother had left and she could hear her screaming outside as she was grabbed by thugs, but the dragon took her out. He thought I did it and I told him I didn't, but in the end we had to move on. We settled into a different village, but my brother wouldn't stop accusing me. Eventually I got fed up and left… completely and never turned back," she sighed, "and I came back because my sister, which, for some reason, found out where I was and got a letter to me. I've been trying to be a good person, even though I'm just a petty thief, and… I don't know. I get tired of the game sometimes. It's bothersome after twelve years."

"Hmmm… it's awful for your family to shun you," Fazi frowned.

"My sister never did," she smiled, "it's just my brother. I don't know. It's all water under the bridge now a days. I don't let his words bother me… usually." Then Zahra stopped talking, coming to a trap and coming across a long rocky bridge. There had to be a trap here, but she couldn't figure it out. She ushered Fazi to follow, looking down and noticing images of different animals and creatures on the ground. She stopped. "It's spelled," she sighed as they continued in a calm demeanor. "That's really it," she told him, "and that's why I'm trying to leave."

"… Still not the best reason to leave," he chuckled.

"But what can I do?" Zahra shrugged, "There's nothing for me here. I have no home, no family. Besides I know where my sister lives. I don't want to be cooped up in a large house unable to roam free in the desert and do the things I love to do. It's… it's not the life for me. Whatever. I'll see what these villages have to offer before leaving. That's the plan." Fazi smirked before he sighed and followed, coming towards the end as Zahra stepped off of the bridge and looked around. The air was chilly around them, but Zahra kept going and didn't bother to see if Fazi was following her or not.

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: And now you know a bit more of the characters ^^ So if you were confused about Zahra's past that's pretty much everything. There's still some mystery there, but not a whole lot. Now you know where Fazi came from XD and who he works for. I wonder what that'll work out? ^^ Sorry that I don't update more often. It's hard to keep up with my summer courses so this is a warning that I won't be posting chapters up often… unless I get time. I don't seem to have enough time throughout the day DX Well… SEE YOU LATER! =3**

Jalila – Arabic – important, exalted


	7. The Hidden Secrets

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Well let's see… oh! Now we're going to see what lies deep inside of the pyramid. I hope you guys start reviewing. It's nice to get some comments and even some ideas from you guys ^^ ENJOY!**

! #$%^&*()

Jalila was in a state of emotional shock, looking around desperately for Fazi and Zahra. They had gone missing in the middle of the night and their horse was still there. She wondered if the ghosts got them, walking around lazily in the streets trying to find them. "Hey," she heard a voice behind her, whipping her head around before she let out a sigh of relief. "Oh Basir," she chuckled lightly, "I-I didn't know you'd be there."

"I have guard duty," he chuckled lightly, "but why are you up so early? You're usually asleep for a few more hours."

"W-well I had these visitors and they –"

"Visitors?" he looked at her questionably.

"Yes," she sighed and ran a hand through her long brunette hair. "She… there was this woman you see, and she saved me from drowning in the Nile and she had a friend with her so I let them live in my home last night," Jalila bit her lip, "but now I don't know where they are. What if the spirits got to them? They could be dead –"

"Now calm down," Basir huffed, flipping his black hair and looking off at the rising sun, "if they're still around they'll show up. If not then they won't. No big deal."

Jalila shook her head, "I-I don't know… I owe her my life and if she's dead…"

"How about you sit with me and wait for the next guard to show up," he grinned at her, "and perhaps you'll spot your friends."

"Okay," she nodded and followed him, walking up to the top of a cliff with him as they sat down at the edge and looked off into the desert. The desert sun was beginning to rise; casting an orange and yellow glow on the villages nestled close to the Nile. It was a beautiful sight and Jalila would love to enjoy it as she usually did, but she was too worried about Ranpu to notice the scenery. The woman saved her life after all and she couldn't let the ghosts take her. Not only that, but that man with her… Fazi was his name. He was a small and scruffy man, but she would never hope harm on any of them. She just hoped Basir was right. The woman was awfully curious about the place and wanted to explore, but still Jalila was fearful. Not just by the spirits, but she felt an alluring feeling from that girl, pulling her as the ghosts did every night while they slept.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"What the –"

"As great as the Nile and as calm as the wind," Zahra pressed her finger on the wall and read. "I suppose it'll tell us our next move."

"Y-you think?" Fazi gulped, "Because you heard that ghost. I don't think we can just turn around and run away from –"

"Well here, listen to this," Zahra told him as she looked at the slab on the wall and continued:

"_As great as the Nile and as calm as the wind, may the gods send you unto thy rest._

_Fire your only friend, the darkness taking hold and grabs your feet._

_The sky set ablaze by thy whims, written in the tome of the gods._

_Only one chosen by the gods will answer: The mystical call of the dead_."

She sighed and looked around the space as they tried to figure out what came next. "Let's see… fire your only friend and the darkness grabs your feet… this place doesn't seem to have a crack in the sky, but perhaps we have to light something on fire…"

Fazi looked around, pacing back and forth trying to figure out the riddle. Zahra looked at the slab with interest and pressed her fingers on a stone container attached to the bottom. She raised an eyebrow, noticing it was a liquid and after smelling the substance with her fingers she concluded it was oil or something just as flammable. "How can the wind be calm and –"

"Fazi shut up. I think I got this," she looked over at him and winked, gently setting the end of the torch into the container. Then his eyes widened, watching the container bursting into flames and igniting a trail of fire that extended around them and around the room. It lit up the large room, the ceiling lighting up to the point that they didn't really need the torch anymore. Zahra handed the torch over to Fazi and he stared at her confused, noticing that different words had showed up instead of normal Egyptian. She gulped. "Dang this is something I've never seen," she snorted, closing her eyes and thinking to herself. "The call of the dead… one chosen by the gods… Fazi," she opened her eyes and looked at him, "if something happens don't freak out."

"Wait what –"

"Just trust me on this," she sighed. "Just… just don't freak out and stay quiet." He blinked in confusion as Zahra looked back to the slab, her eyes slowly changing as different shades of green began to swirl in her eyes as she read again:

"_The spirits of the dead venture into the tomb of the formal king, Karbukef of Egypt._

_Only one soul may pass, the soul uttering the words I have written._

_Pass our test and ye shall live, but fail and your soul shall be handed over to the shadows._

_Come to me now, spirits of the shadows, and show me the way through the darkness_–"

"W-what the Seth?" Fazi yelped, the ground opening under him as he ran off to the side while a secret passage way opened for them. "I suppose we have to go down there –"

"Actually no," Zahra sighed and looked over at him with a sympathetic smile, "they only want one person going down there, and since you're completely clueless how about you stay up here and make sure nothing happens."

"Wait a minute–"

"Hey would you rather be buried by a bunch of dead ghosts or stay here and hope I come out in one piece?" she smirked at him.

"Uhhh…"

"Yeah that's what I thought," Zahra chuckled and began to enter down the stairs.

"Wait," Fazi told her, Zahra looking around as he let in a gulp. "… Be safe alright?"

She smirked, "Yeah I'll try," she chuckled, giving him a wave and descending into the darkness below.

The fire she had let lit earlier had made its way down the stairs, lighting her way as she walked down. She could feel something was following her, glancing behind her back as she smirked. "Hey, so how am I doing spirit?"

"Usually no one notices me till later," the spirit smirked, floating past her and taking the lead down the stairs. Once they got to a ground level Zahra walked next to the ghost, the man looking at her curiously as she looked around at the surprisingly warm feeling around the stone labyrinth she was brought into. "… You remind me of another," he decided to say as he wandered and showed her the way.

"Oh?" Zahra looked at him questionably, "Don't tell me it's a god or something –"

"Nope," he chuckled. "Another a bit younger then you… but I suppose that was a few years ago so he must have been older. Same cocky attitude, a brilliant ba and ka, and made his way down here without a single scratch." Zahra raised an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued. Noticing her interest the ghost continued, "He went through every test, but couldn't finish at the end. Still he and his comrades were freed, but I feel that you seem to be associated with him. Similar souls, similar fates."

"Who's this man you speak of?" Zahra asked. The ghost fluttered along, Zahra chasing after him as he turned a corner and disappeared into the wall. Zahra let out an annoyed snort and looked around, sighing as noticed where she was and trying to figure out how she was going to get through this. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going and ended up lost, "That's probably what the ghost wanted," she snorted and stepped out to look around. She had fallen into the spirits' trap, but she wouldn't let that stop her. She could figure this out, closing her eyes and slowly concentrating on her body. Slowly an aura began to surround her, a dark aura that was dark shades of blue, purple, and black swirling around her in a thin glow. Then she opened her eyes, her eyes glowing as different shades of green swirled in her eyes.

She could see something normal people couldn't, a world hidden within the world of the living. "The world of the dead," Zahra thought aloud, seeing a world of dark blues, purples, and blacks engulfed around her. It was a place of lost spirits, unable to make their way to the end of their afterlife and be judged by the gods. It was a place in between, still intertwined with the world of the living. The stone walls around her had turned to large lumps of purples and blacks, everything as it had been except now she could see a faint light showing her the way. She smirked and followed that light, wondering who the other man that had come down here was. In order to get through this maze you would either need a god that could show you the way or already see this world on your own. Perhaps if that man who lived was still alive she could talk to him, ask him how he could see this world as she did now.

Either way she quickly left the maze, seeing a room full of spirits roaming around in the sky until they spotted her and swooped down. In a swift motion she held up her hand, the spirits suddenly stopping and floating calmly around her. "Could one of you tell me what I must do next –"

"This way living one," the ghost that had been talking to her earlier instructed, Zahra making her way across the room as the spirit disappeared. She felt her energy quickly being drained from her body by the spirits around her, but she gave it no need. She had to keep going in order to get out of here, and if it meant losing energy till she was practically weak she would continue. Besides Zahra had always known she had an unlimited amount of energy, deriving itself from an unknown source. All she had to do was make it through their trials and leave, passing out of the room and walking down a corridor.

Her eyes widened at the words all written on the wall, written in an unknown language only a few could know and decipher. "Welcome," came a voice at the end of the hallway. She walked down and looked around, noticing a bedroom where the ghost was sitting contently smiling at her. "I was wondering when you would show up, grave robber."

"Yes, hello," she waved, walking over to him and only giving him a slight bow. "Allow me to introduce myself –"

"Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu, known as the Skia Diana, Shadow Huntress, and also the Cursed One." Zahra blinked at him astonished as he simply smiled, ushering her to sit down on the other end of the bed as he chuckled lightly. "I suppose you know who I am now?"

"I'm guessing you're Karbukef," she asked.

"That's right," he nodded. "Tell me young Ranpu, what brings you here to our little village?"

"Well…" Zahra thought, knowing she should probably stay honest to this ghost. "I'm here because… well curiosity at first. Being stranded I suppose… but mainly because I was curious and wanted a challenge –"

"You have come to the right place," he grinned at her, chuckling at the confused look on her face as he stood up and walked around the room. "There is only one other reason you are here."

"And what can that be?" she asked with her eyebrow raised.

"A piece of her heart told you to come here," he decided to say, "and lured you to this grave –"

"Hey if you're saying that you had something to do with this –"

"I'm not saying anyone forced you to come here Zahra," he chuckled at her irritation, "but simply a certain part of your heart was drawn here. Perhaps you have some inner hatred within or another way you are associated with the gods?"

Zahra sighed and shook her head, looking away and running a hand through her hair. "Yes I know that," she snorted. "It's strange to be able to hear the gods as if they're speaking basic Egyptian after all –"

"Not only that, but you can speak back," he chuckled. "No ordinary person can do that –"

"I know," she snorted. "Only select humans can speak directly to the gods, chosen at birth to do so. I don't know what you're getting at, but I've come across beings like yourself telling me I was sent to them for a reason. So unless you have something better to say then get right to the point."

Karbukef smirked, pressing his finger against a wall and opening up another secret passage way. "I suppose you've heard about the Millennium Tome?" he asked casually, slowly walking into the corridor and Zahra sighed as she stood up and walked in after him.

"Yes," Zahra huffed, "but why does that book have any importance to me –"

"Let me start over," he chuckled lightly. "Now you must know that there are spirits that are roaming the world of the living in the shadows?"

"Yes –"

"Then how are you associated with them?" he asked casually.

Zahra rolled her eyes, grumbling under her breath as she tried to come up with an explanation. "… I suppose I was born that way," she sighed, "because I have no memory of my past when I was eleven and under. Something must have happened and I ended up in the desert covered in burns barely able to survive. I don't know… The shadows, as you call them, have always been a part of me. I already had some inkling of how to use their powers and see the ghosts of the dead. Why do you ask this?"

"No reason," he smiled and turned his back to her. Zahra pouted, narrowing her eyes and wondering where he was taking her.

Once they left the long hallway Zahra's eyes brightened up, seeing large piles of gold, silver, and other expensive items arranged all over the pyramid. "B-but I thought –"

"That grave robbers have come through here already?" he asked and chuckled lightly at her, running a hand over a large pendent off to the side. "It's a story the modern villagers talk about to push away any potential threats. They've used those tales so many times that no one tries to come down and steal my gold, but there's a reason no one has taken everything."

"W-why?" Zahra asked, taking a few cautious steps backward to avoid his gaze.

"… They're cursed," Karbukef told her, laughing as she rolled her eyes. "What? You don't believe in curses little Ranpu?"

"I-I do –"

"You wish you didn't, but you do," he nodded. "I can tell. You've been called cursed before? Cursed to be associated with the afterlife, the shadows in between the land of the living and the field of reeds. The lost souls that are searching for a way to escape the darkness, looking for someone to guide them along in their way to an afterlife."

Zahra narrowed her eyes, snarling at his words as if acid was spewing out of his mouth. "Why? Do you know something I don't?"

"I do actually," he chuckled as he continued out of the room, Zahra hesitantly following behind him and sneering under her breath at him. They went through many other corridors till he led her to the end, coming across a chilled and cold room that hadn't been lit up by the flames. Zahra squint her eyes as he smirked and snapped his fingers, illuminating the room in an eerie glow and lighting up the room in blues, purples, and blacks. Zahra blinked in confusion at the writings on the walls, Karbukef placing his hands on a golden coffin and sitting upon it. "I am Karbukef, former king of Egypt and the creator of the Millennium Tome. I was like you; I could speak and understand everything the gods told me. They instructed me into making the tome as a way to test mortals, see if they'd try to decipher the ancient scriptures and even going as far as the use the dark magic within."

"… Why would you create something that could potentially destroy your kingdom?" she narrowed her eyes. "I mean, from what I know the tome was never deciphered and no one has used the magic –"

"The pharaohs have young Ranpu," he told her walking up to one of the writings on the wall. "… When I was a child I was given a gift to speak to the gods. I learned later this was both a blessing and a curse, having to create a book that only I and anyone who could read the language of the gods could understand. I was told this tome was brought to earth as a way to test mortals, a way to see the good and evil in their soul. When I died I learned the truth behind the tome, but it was too late to warn anyone. I was thrown into the shadows, no way of returning to the living and unable to travel into the afterlife. I am stuck here, with many other souls, looking for someone to free us from our prison. I and many workers who had lived here the first years upon my death mysteriously began to die or their souls ripped from their bodies and sent into this pyramid. The only way to escape is from a spell in the book, but I am stuck here unable to leave by an invisible force that traps us here.

"The village of AmAuNet will continue to be cursed until we can turn back to our true selves, spirits that can pass onto the afterlife. We have waited many years and many people have come through and tried to raid the villages, but as protectors we stay and keep the barbarians away. It wasn't until a young man, a man at the age of sixteen with demonic pure white shaggy hair and dark amethyst eyes came into the village searching for a hideout. We attacked him, but he had a power of the gods on his side and blew us away. So I lured him into the pyramid, wondering if he was the one whom the gods said will to help us. He defeated all obstacles, showing his leadership and bravery to us even as his heart showed great malice and anger within. There was a flicker of light in the contours of his eyes, only noticeable by the dark spirits like ourselves, like yourself Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu. He told me about his past, a tragic past filled with hardships and pains and confessing the terrors he had seen. His entire village destroyed, his family and friends sacrificed to the gods, and their souls trapped in the village to forever roam as lost souls. That's when I gave him an offer and he declined, saying his own revenge for his village was more important than us."

"Okay," Zahra nodded, "so what's the request?"

Karbukef grinned, circling around his coffin till he sat on top and stared her deeply into the eyes. She stared back, the same malice in her own eyes as he huffed and pulled away. "You have a gift and we wish for you to use your gift to take back the Millennium Tome and bring it here. Read from the scriptures and set us free, sacrificing the villages in the process."

"Wait," she held up her hand, "you're asking me to steal the tome and destroy everyone here? No way! That's suicide!"

"The book can only be used with sacrifices and can only be destroyed with sacrifices," he sneered, "and I would know because I know every inch of the book. The tome was already used for great evil, creating the Millennium items from dark magic."

"W-wait what?" she blinked at him confused.

He smirked, "You heard me. So what do you say little Ranpu. Will you help us?"

"… Only if we do things my way," she snorted at him.

"And what would those demands be –"

"I do things **my** way," she told him again. "I raise the villages of AmAuNet to their formal glories. I destroy that book so no one can use it… and depending on the sacrifices I will decide whether or not to destroy your souls or send you on to the afterlife. Deal?"

"… If this will get you to help us, deal," he nodded, holding out his hand for Zahra to shake. Zahra smirked and held out her hand, gripping his hand tightly and giving him one firm shake. Then the shadows began to collapse around her, the king letting go of her hand as she plummeted into the depths of the darkness below. Her dark green eyes only stared back at him, his eyes widening slightly as she smirked at her before closing her eyes and letting her body be consumed in the shadows.

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Jalila yelped as the ground started to shake, hearing a yell coming from the pyramid as two bodies were thrown up into the air from the ground and fell in the middle of the sand. The villagers looked out and cautiously went to the sound, Fazi cursing under his breath as he ran a hand through his hair. "What the gods – Ranpu what happened?"

Zahra groaned and shook her head, mumbling to herself in a strange language as Fazi shook her shoulders to wake her up. She let out a gasp and pushed him away, regretting her quick movement as she groaned again and held a hand to her forehead. "O-oh? Fazi?... When did you end up there?"

"All I know is that I was waiting for you to return when all of the sudden the floor crumbled and I was falling! What in the gods' names happened in there?" he yelled.

"O-oh nothing important," Zahra chuckled at him, trying to push herself off of the ground before falling back down on her face.

Fazi narrowed his eyes, pushing her over and noticing she had passed out. He sighed, shaking his head and looking around at the crowd that was gathering around them. "Oh great," he huffed, "We're in trouble now –"

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" came a voice from the crowd, the villagers moving aside as a small group of men stepped forward. With them was a young man, probably in his thirties, glaring at Fazi as he groaned and got off of the ground.

"Y-you see –"

"It is forbidden to even touch the pyramid, let alone go in! You must be outsiders if you don't know those rules… aren't you?" he glared.

"W-well –"

"After the gold, aren't you?" he huffed.

"Wait there's gold in there!" Fazi gasped and turned back to the pyramid. "I thought nothing was in there –"

"F-fazi shut up," Zahra groaned, pushing herself back up off of the ground and rubbing her head. "Owwchie," she pouted, scratching her head as she felt something rattling deep in her mind.

"Who are you two –"

"I am Ranpu," Zahra huffed as she tried to pick herself off of the ground, falling back down with a _**'thud' **_and groaning, "a-and apparently I talked with your little dead pharaoh in there."

"W-wait what –"

"Does the name _**Karbukef~**_ come to mind?" Zahra asked, everyone in the crowd looking at her in shock and confusion.

"Are you a sorceress?" the man asked.

"Just a lowly thief," Zahra chuckled, groaning as she sat up before quickly deciding to stay put. "Anyways to keep this conversation nice and simple he asked me to help you guys. So here I am!"

He narrowed his eyes. "I can't trust some petty thief with that sort of information –"

"Then how about I prove myself?" she chuckled lightly and gave him a wink. "I don't know who you are, but I figure you're the leader around here."

"Yes I'm Khalifa –"

"Well Khalifa here's the deal," Zahra smirked and stood up, brushing the dust from her clothes and pulled out a dagger from under her dress. "I promise on my dagger and my soul that I am here to help you. The way I plan on helping you is thus: turning these villages back into the greatness it had once held years ago."

"Oh?" he snared. "How will you do that –"

"You need some money and you can build up the farmland next Nile to cultivate crops –"

"We already tried that –"

"Yes," Zahra smirked, "but I'm not done." Fazi stood up and scratched his head, narrowing his eyes at her and wondering what she was going to say. "Keep this place a cursed land. You'll keep people away," she thought, "and cultivate crops for yourself. Let's see, food and water, you already have shelter… as for income the ghost told me to teach you my talent."

"And what would that be?" Khalifa huffed.

Zahra grinned deviously, pointing to the pyramid. "Guess how I was able to get through the traps and mazes inside?"

"Grave robbing –"

"Bingo!" Zahra laughed. "But not just grave robbing. Thievery in general. Fighting and battle tactics with cunning and stealth thrown in the mix for good measure. What do you say mister leader? Want to give it a shot?"

"But stealing –"

"Is punishable by death? Dangerous? Not practical perhaps? Well I'll tell you what," she chuckled lowly, walking up to him and glaring into his eyes, "give me a chance to prove to you how it works. You know what lies in these villages, evil ghosts roaming around with unrest. So let me do my work and you can continue to do yours. Give me a night or two to show you what you can gain from this. I promise you won't be disappointed."

"But –"

Zahra sighed and shook her head. "You don't think a village can be a village of thieves? A safe haven where families and children can grow up as thieves and travelers can come through without worries of being caught by the government? It's happened before you know and still continues to this day. Though I suppose you're not really hidden… only cursed. That'll serve as a problem for keeping guards away, but hey I never said you had to keep up with the profession. Only take back what you need from the kingdom and that'll be it." Before Khalifa could talk back Zahra pushed through the crowd, disappearing towards the village of Amenhotep to get to her horse.

"Khalifa do you think this is a good idea –"

"I don't know," he snorted, "but it seems we have no choice. If we don't do something we'll all starve." Khalifa glared at Fazi, to man staring back with his arms crossed over his chest. "Shouldn't you be following your bitch around –"

"She's not mine you know," he chuckled lowly. "She saved my ass and this was the closest village around. Perhaps you're unlucky, perhaps not, but I certainly unlucky now." Fazi grumbled under his breath, looking up to hear Zahra yelling and shouting at the horse as she took off into the desert. "Just give her a night," Fazi grumbled under his breath, "because damn it she took my only way of escaping this place!" Khalifa smirked at the man's misfortune, deciding it was best to wait and bide their time for her to come back, if she ever did. They ushered everyone back to their work, doing nothing but sitting around in the shade starving to death or going around hunting for small game that they could find in the rocks or even in the streams.

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**A/N: _Oooooh~?_ Wonder who that other man was who showed up there? XD Let's see… who has messy white hair and has amethyst eyes? Give up? XD Okay. Well this is it for now. The next chapter was a lot of fun to write. Sorry that I haven't been posting these chapters every week. I get busy because I'm taking summer courses ^^ Also the underlined words in this chapter was a language only spoken by the gods. Since I don't know it I can't exactly use it and translate it for you XD Well anyways I'll see you later. BYE! **

Basir – Arabic – wise

Karbukef – Egyptian – mystical spirit

Khalifa – Arabic – successor, caliph


	8. The Stolen Robbery

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hah! Now to have some action in this story! ^^ Thank you guys for whoever is currently reading this story. Please comment if you are. I want to know if you guys like to story or not =3 Anyways this is the next part and we go around to different points of view. Just so you're clear. If you get confused go ahead and comment. I'll try and clarify any questions you may have… and of course ENJOY!**

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A dark, cloaked woman rode through the desert, her long black cloak flapping behind her as the hood hid her face except for a few strands of long black hair. Zahra would have to show the villagers that thieving can truly be beneficial to a dying village. She got the idea from a faint memory in her mind, learning how to fight and train to take back money that no one would ever use. Anyways she had to find a good place to steal, a place that had a lot of gold and silver for her to take. She had recalled some talk about the tomb of this upcoming pharaoh that everyone figured would die in a few years. They were going to place a large amount of gold and silver into his tomb and Zahra assumed they'd already done so by now. She'd sneak in at night, under the cover of the new moon, and raid the tomb even before the man was placed inside. Then the villagers will see how great thievery can truly be, a real profession in her mind!

By the time she got to her destination Gamila was already tired, Zahra deciding it was time for a break so she led the horse to a nearby creek and let the horse drink as she stared up from atop a ridge and looked down. The pyramid was huge, grander then the pyramid she had gone into earlier that day, but there weren't many guards. There was one priest there overlooking the operation, Zahra's eyes widening to see the Millennium ring around his neck. Then she narrowed her eyes, counting the guards and wondering how many traps were in there. Probably not as much as Karbukef's grave because the gold that was being brought into the tomb was only a third of the amount the king had.

"Rich guy," she chuckled lightly to herself, sneaking backward before standing up and going over to Gamila. "Only looks to be about eight guards on post," she thought to the mare as she gently stroked her nose, "two on each side of the pyramid. Maybe I'll leave you hidden somewhere and only take out two of them. Who knows? Maybe those guards will get trapped in their own traps," she grinned. "Anyways we'll wait in the nearest village there is and build up our strength. We'll be out all night I'm assuming, so prepare yourself Gamila." Gamila neighed and nudged her cheek, Zahra giggling lightly before patting the horse on the nose and jumping onto her back. Then they rode off into the desert, waiting for nightfall and the perfect time to strike the vacant pyramid.

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The time was about midnight when a group of rogue thieves rode up to a tall ridge overlooking a guarded pyramid. A stocky tanned man with untamed white hair and a long red with white thin borders robe pulled the white hood from over his face, revealing his murky amethyst eyes and a vicious scar over his right eye with two shorter horizontal scars cut on his cheek. He smirked, jumping off of his horse and throwing the reins at the nearest person to him as he surveyed the area. "Only eight guards, two sleeping?" he joked, "What do they take us for?"

"How are we going to do this Bakura?" a man next to him whispered, Bakura rolling his eyes and he gazed at the guards.

"We'll take out the guards and casually stroll inside. If someone else comes by on patrol use the signal. Naeem and Baruti, you're coming with me. Yafeu and Maskini, you'll take out the two guards on the far side and to the left and we'll take out the guards on the right and in the front. Understood?"

"Yes sir," they answered, though quickly hushing their tones as they crouched down and sneaked across the sand. The thief called Bakura led the raid into the pyramid, two thieves taking out four of the guards with breeze and the other two taking only two down. When he came to the front he was surprised to see that the guards at the entrance were already knocked out, signaling his men to come back to him as he realized the foul play. "Someone got here before us," he told them as they widened at his words, "Naeem, Baruti, and Yafeu will come with me and Maskini you go back."

"B-but sir –"

"This is no time for arguments," Bakura narrowed his eyes and glared, the boy much shorter then he was gulped as he scurried away. Once the boy was gone they continued onward, one man in front of Bakura with the other two trailing behind him. Bakura wasn't surprised that someone else had caught wind of the gold that was being transferred from Thebes into the Valley of the Kings, but he expected more guards, at least a dozen. His plans were starting to unravel, but they came here for a reason and he was going to show the old pharaoh what he was going to do to his pyramid once he's dead. He snickered at the thought, his hatred for the man growing deep and chilling the air around him to the bone. Even deep in his thoughts Bakura was able to sense the traps, stopping his men from triggering a potential trap or telling them how to get by. He wasn't going to take the lead, for if he did he'd be one with his head lopped off, but he was among some of the best thieves around and trusted them to keep together. If not he'd kill the man. Simple as that.

No one seemed to stand in his way, and even if they did he would have killed them long ago. There were a few of his men that he'd consider, consider being the key word, as equal, but he didn't see any of them ever taking his position. They were far too weak, too feeble minded, and didn't have the instinct to kill someone on the spot. All in all he was the best of the best, the King of Thieves, and he was going to make sure his title stayed that way – He paused, hearing a sound from afar. It was the sounds of fighting, of spells being casted and walls collapsing. "Madado," Bakura thought in understanding, signaling his men to hide off to the side as he ventured through the corridors. Once he made it to the end his eyes widened, not expecting the competition laid before him.

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Zahra decided to make her way to the pyramid before ten, eleven at the latest. She had overheard of a potential raid that night and if she hurried she'd be in and out before anyone noticed her. Once she made it to the site she let Gamila loose, knowing full well that if she called or whistled the horse would come back. They may not be long time companions, but she developed a mutual understanding with the horse and Gamila didn't seem bothered to be given to Fazi. Actually she wanted to, tired of being a palace horse and doing practically nothing.

With that problem solved she jumped off of the horse and stuck up to the pyramid, knocking the two guards standing at the front in the neck and letting them fall gracefully to the ground. She covered her mouth fearful that one of the other guards heard, but when they started talking among themselves again she took it as a sign that they didn't notice and set the bodies to the side as if they had fallen asleep guarding the front. Then she went in, narrowing her eyes as the darkness consumed her. There was a perk to training at night and that's developing a good sense of direction in the dark. It's harder to tell where the traps are when there are ghosts hiding them from your sight, but since she wasn't in AmAuNet she didn't have to worry. In the dark, her black hood over her face and the cloak flapping behind her, she could tell where every trap was and every trigger without having to worry about the shadows hiding them away. As she had told Karbukef she is cursed, a being that is one with the shadows, and as much as she'd hate to admit it she could have an advantage because of this.

Making her way through the potential bobby traps and rooms Zahra finally came upon the end, a long bridge with stone slabs laid out for a bridge. She knew exactly what they were, similar creatures that were in in the slabs at AmAuNet. She will be honest. This was one of the first times she had come across those slabs in AmAuNet and finding them here was even more shocking. She took her time walking across, closing her eyes and feeling the energy under her feet. Yes, "the ghosts of evil souls," she commented to herself, feeling their souls gripping at her own as she walked. Zahra paid them no heed and continued on, not noticing the pair of light blue eyes that were watching her from afar.

After several more corridors and secret rooms she made it to the spot she was looking for, the pharaoh's potential tomb. The walls had inscriptions on them, less than a few months old, and hieroglyphics with other sorts of writing that only Zahra could possibly translate. "Must be from the Book of the Dead," she commented as she ran a hand over one of the words, "so I wonder if he has someone among him that can understand the gods… hmmmm…" Her eyes darted around and noticed the next step, pressing her finger into the eye of the pharaoh's Millennium puzzle on the wall as another door opened up. She casually walked through and after what seemed like hours she made it to the room she was looking for. A smirk came upon her face, grabbing a large sack from her brown leather bag and starting to fill the sack with loot. She had to make it as full as she could, grabbing small items as well as large items and anything that caught her fancy. She figured most of this stuff could be sold, her teeth digging into the metals and making sure they weren't fake. Then she noticed an item that caught her eye, a small silver chain with a small black wild dog pendent that was an image of a snarling jackal and jaded green eyes. She snatched it from the pile and unclipped the chain, pinning the chain back around her neck. She smiled and slipped it under her dress to hide it away. Zahra usually never kept anything, but this looked like something she could keep for herself for once.

Once she was done she slung the full sack, though not too full so it wasn't too heavy for her, she began to sneak out, the hood over her face as her black cloak trailed behind her. Then she noticed something. The shadowy presence was back again, but this time she could tell someone was there. "Magic," Zahra realized as she frowned and continued on. Yes magic. Someone was using dark magic to conceal themselves in the pyramid. She hadn't noticed it because she assumed no one was around, only detecting normal humans instead of those who could be possessed or using magic. "No way to get around this," she sighed. The presence was going to be blocking her way in one of the large rooms leading out of the pyramid. It was a bridge, Zahra remembered, but knowing yjod she wasn't going to catch the being by surprise. It was waiting for her, Zahra feeling their energy waiting with anger and anticipation. Well she'll have to have some fun she guessed. As long as that horse comes back she'll make it out in one piece… probably.

Zahra left the hallway, avoiding the traps of course, and waited patiently on the other side of the room for the presence to show themselves. She sighed and set the sack of gold next to her feet, cracking her knuckles in a feeble attempt to pass the time. Then her eyes darted up as someone suddenly jumping down from a ledge, a smirk coming to her face as she realized who the man was. "A high priest," she chuckled lightly as she gawked at him, "planning on capturing me and selling me for reward money?"

"**You**," he glared, taking cautious steps forward before pausing at the edge of the bridge. "No wonder you're here. You're a thief aren't you? You and your band of misfits stole from the palace, didn't you?"

"Of course," she grinned and tipped her head to the side, "but I have no relations to that thief I let out. If he let his little buddies go then it's wasn't my problem. Had _no~_ idea it happened," she shrugged.

Mahado snarled at her, not believing for a second that she was telling the truth. "There are probably more of you coming. I'll make sure the stop you right here and now –"

"Oh please little sorcerer," Zahra snorted, "don't flatter yourself. If anyone is getting out of here it'll be me. Now are you going to fight or not?"

He narrowed his eyes, taking a few steps towards her as his light blue eyes shined in the darkness. Then Zahra noticed the Millennium ring, the eye starting to glow as five needles began to move. "… I sense a great evil inside of you," he snarled at her, "and I will destroy you right here and now."

"Bring it on," she chuckled, preparing herself for whatever the man will dish out as she kept close to the sack of treasures she had stolen. She wasn't going to leave without them, that's for sure, and if there's going to be an obstacle in her way she was going to being them down.

The magician summoned a monster, a tiny spell caster with a small little wand. So he wanted to play a small game of magic? Well two can play at that game. Zahra smirked and closed her eyes, holding out one of her bandaged hands and summoning a creature much larger than the little spell caster with flaming red eyes that began to swirl around her like a ghost. "Only those with Millennium items can summon spirits!" Mahado had to point out, Zahra chuckling as the ghost ran through her fingers before appearing before them.

Then it took on a shape of a large man-eating Venus fly trap that could take on his magician. "Then you haven't been out in the world for very long," she smirked, "because there's millions upon trillions of lost souls just waiting to be harvested."

"H-harvested?" he stared at her confused. Then he narrowed his eyes. The woman was nothing like he'd expected. Mahado had set this trap for the King of Thieves and his men, but instead he trapped a woman, a powerful woman, who seems to know about as much dark magic as he does, if not more. He huffed. This was going to take a while.

Deciding she was running out of time she called her attack, the thorns coming from the plant wrapping around the spell caster and aiming to grab hold of Mahado. His ring glowed and he chanted, his monster casting spells at the plant and trying to hit Zahra. She smirked, standing still with her arms crossed over her chest as Mahado struggled to get free. His creature sent a blast into the monster and the thorns let go let go, squealing in pain as it trailed on the ground. It wasn't a very strong creature and only took Mahado by surprise. He ordered his creature to continue its assault, Zahra being completely unaffected as she grabbed the sack and threw it over her shoulder.

Making sure her hood was secure she summoned another creature, a blue haired woman with green wings and a yellow dress. "Come on you little dark witch," she chuckled lightly, the elf creature grabbing her and flying along the wall. Zahra hoped she wouldn't have to summon anymore creatures and sneaked behind Mahado, the priest finishing his assault as the plant shriveled up and died.

Then Zahra landed on her feet and took off, laughing loudly to get his attention as he turned around and was caught off guard again by the flying witch assaulting him before disappearing into the shadows. "Damn thieves!" Mahado yelled, chasing after her with his spell caster behind her. Zahra snorted. He was a powerful sorcerer, she could tell by his blasts and the pain in her chest that he was, but yet it didn't bother her. She had come across worse beings and she knew he **could** the potential to destroy her. Now realizing that he was worth the challenge and Zahra wondered how angry he'd have to get before she could see his true powers.

She ran through the pyramid with the sack of gold slung over her shoulder and her black cloak fanning behind her. She narrowed her eyes and took out four knives from her pocket and threw them at the creature. Zahra laughed as she pinned the creature to the wall, sliding down and stumbling before she triggered a potential trap. She quickly realized something, turning back around with her foot hovering over the trap. "Hey priest!" she yelled, getting Mahado's attention as he recovered from the knives embedded in his creature that must have been spelled. "Have fun with this!" Zahra laughed, stomping her foot on the trigger and taking off down the hallway. His eyes widened, seeing a large blade coming towards him as he jumped away just in time.

"Damn you," he snarled, running through the blades and avoiding them skillfully as his spell caster followed him and he continued his assault down the hallway.

Zahra sighed, calming herself down and shaking her head. "Can't get carried away," she told herself, turning lefts and rights through a labyrinth of hidden corridors and exits till she could finally see the light of the sky. Emerging she saw someone attacking her from the corner of her eye, thinking fast and evading his blade as she lunged into the sand and got back up again. She snarled and pulled out her dagger, several men, thieves she figured, surrounding her. She snorted, watching them lunge at her as she jumped to the side and slashed her dagger at them. She stopped one attack as another came at her, sighing as she dropped the sack off of her shoulder as she used her other hand to grip his fist and twisting his arm. He yelled at the unbelievable strength the woman had, Zahra huffing as she kicked him in the gut and punching another in the face. Falling to her feet she grabbed the sack and dashed, letting out a high pitched whistle that echoed into the desert. "Damn get here already," she snarled, the guards finally noticing the thieves and attacking the men as well as chasing after herself. She didn't understand what was going on, but she was going to get out of here as soon as possible.

Running up the dune Zahra thought she was safe, till she noticed a bunch of horses and the gang of thieves looking at her surprised just as much as she was. Then she narrowed her eyes, laughing at their lack of knowledge as she had another burst of energy and took off in another direction. She evaded their attacks and tried to keep them busy hoping Gamily was making her way there, her eyes lighting up as she saw the horse dashing over to her from behind her. While she was distracted by the mare making her way to Zahra, she hadn't noticed the blade coming at her from the side and only realized when it was too late and got slashed in the side. Zahra cried out and spun at her attacker, stabbing him in the chest as his eyes went wide at the impact and they stared into each other's eyes. Zahra's jaded green eyes widened, coming into contact with angry purple eyes as he sneered back. He pushed her away and she slumped to the ground, quickly getting back to her feet as he aimed his sword back at her. She huffed and stopped his attack with her dagger, glaring at him and noticing the fury coming from his aura. Knowing she had to get out fast she summoned another creature, daggers being thrown from behind the man's back as Zahra escaped and took off back into the middle of the fighting. "Dark Assassin, Triple Sword Slash Attack!" she called to the creature, rushing to Gamila as she ran to her.

Zahra ran up beside Gamila as she continued to gallop, the horse slowing down as she jumped onto the horse's back and let out a yell. Running purely on adrenaline she gripped the sack hard as her hand started to bleed again, looking behind her to find the spell caster chasing after her with Mahado riding his horse to catch up with her. She blinked, shaking her head as she let out a huff and turned her attention back to her goal. She gritted her teeth as she felt her shadow creature vanish, letting out a tired sigh as she closed her eyes. Zahra concentrated and began to summon one more creature, knowing it might be her last as she felt her energy draining. "Binding Illusion!" she heard the priest order behind her, his spell caster summoning energy into his wand and sending it towards Zahra.

Her eyes darted open and a large wahz sceptre appeared in her hand, Zahra looking behind her as she aimed the head towards the spell caster's blast and sent a ball of energy his way. It spell was neutralized as Zahra smirked at him, laughing as she summoned most of her energy into the sceptre and grinned. "See you later Illusion Magician!" Zahra laughed, giving him a salute as she sent her blast into the spell caster and Mahado let out a groan and gripped his chest as the creature disappeared. He looked at her behind glossed eyes, getting tired once his soul monster was destroyed. Still he wouldn't stop pursuing her, she snorted. "Izza!" she called to his horse to get her attention, "Throw off your rider this instant!"

Mahado widened his eyes and yelled as his horse suddenly jumped up and bucked him off of her back, the man being thrown off of his horse as Izza neighed confused and snorted. "W-wha –"

"Shadow Burst!" Zahra yelled, throwing one last blast at the people trying to catch up with her and obliterating the sand into their faces. She sighed as the wahz left her hand, gripping her chest in pain after losing three monsters in a short amount of time. "I need to stop doing that," she huffed and puffed, kicking Gamila's side as she dashed off into the desert.

It seemed that her escapade wasn't over yet, a large white creature roaring at her and appearing out of nowhere as it threw her off of her horse. Zahra let out an _**'oomph' **_and darted right up to her feet, pulling out her dagger again and aiming it at the creature. Then she stopped, the monster cocking its head to the side as its lower half circled around her and let out a hiss. "A god?" she tilted her head to the side, seeing its large broad shoulders and white wings as its lower half slithered cautiously at her. The upper half looked like a man and the lower half seemed to be a snake, the god looking deeply into her eyes as she stared back. Then she looked behind her, noticing the thieves were starting to catch up with her as she collected herself and jumped onto her horse. "Stand aside or I'll obliterate you –" She chuckled nervously, seeing the creature move away so she could pass. "Huh," she thought aloud, "… thank you, you god." Zahra took off into the desert, the sack on her back as her cloak fanned behind her. She kept riding till she knew she was far enough away that the thieves and the pharaoh's guards couldn't catch up, laughing happily with herself as she let Gamila slow down as they began the long track back to AmAuNet with her goods slung over her shoulder.

! #$%^&*()

Bakura cursed as he caught up with his creature, the god looking towards where Zahra had left and not noticing the snarl in his voice. "What the gods were you doing diabound –"

"Bakura we have to leave," Naeem threw him the reins of a horse, Bakura sighing as he jumped on and rode off into the desert to escape the guards.

Diabound disappeared as they escaped, Bakura cursing under his breath and glaring at the sand. His chest was bleeding and he gripped a hand to it, but it wasn't enough to slow him down. That damn woman! She got away with their gold! It wasn't supposed to happen like that. When he came upon the scene of Mahado and that woman she was summoning her plant creature, laughing and taunting the priest. He snarled. He hated competition. He had to order his men to retreat and hope the woman would be easy to capture so they could get the gold, but she had been too fast. At least he marked her, but still he didn't like the energy she had been creating. To summon creatures at a whim like that… it was virtually unheard of even for him. Sure he learned how to summon diabound on a whim, but he couldn't summon other creatures like the high priests and the pharaoh.

Perhaps when he got back he could get his questions answered, deciding he'd better learn everything he knew about his new opponent before he killed her. "Damn woman," he hissed under his breath, the rest of his comrades keeping their distance as they rode nonstop to one of the hideouts in the middle of the desert before making any more moves. The rest of the night was spent cursing and almost killing someone that crossed his path, everyone keeping their distance from the angry King of Thieves.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"… So my plan didn't work," Akhenamkhanen sighed and shook his head. "Was that woman associated with the thieves?"

"I believe not," Mahado told him. "They were chasing after her too, so I doubt they know each other. I just don't understand who she is."

"What do you mean Mahado?" he asked.

"Well…" Mahado looked away, coughing as he thought. "I could sense her ka and all I felt was emptiness, as if nothing was there. Yet there was something there, many dark creatures within her. I never came across a soul so powerful and dark as hers, but her inside self doesn't seem to conflict with her ba. She uses her ka and her ka is subsides, for now I suppose."

"Interesting…" Akhenamkhanen thought. "Whoever this woman is we must keep this matter between ourselves. Did you capture any prisoners?"

"Only three," Mahado told him. "Two of the prisoners told us everything they could and we still don't know anything about her. The last thief won't tell us a thing, so Seto is down in the dungeons torturing the man as we speak."

"Okay," he nodded. "Thank you Mahado. You're excused now."

"Yes your Majesty," he bowed, Mahado taking a few steps backward before leaving the room. Akhenamkhanen sighed, standing up and leaving the throne room. He had hoped to destroy or at least diminish the King of Thieves and his forces before his son took the throne, but it seems that will not be the case. If there is a new threat in the kingdom then he'll have to fight whoever it is. He just hoped he won't be drained of the rest of his strength before he passed away to the afterlife.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

Zahra snarled, jumping down from the horse once they found a river of water. Gamila neighed and came to her, nudging Zahra's shoulder with a look of sorrow on her face. "I'm sorry," she sighed, "but I need to get rid of this pain before we head back. I hope you understand." The horse neighed and went over to the stream to drink, Zahra scooting over to the water as she looked at her wounds. The stab wound on her side was still bleeding, but if she worked quickly it won't be a problem. She slipped off the top of her shirt till her wound was exposed, sensing no one was around as she placed water on it and tried to clean the wound. She ripped a few pieces of her cloak to use as rags, cleaning off the blood with the water before she even tried to bandage herself. She took out a container from her bag, opening it and placing the smooth jelly on her wound.

She smiled happily, the pain becoming cool and numb as she put on the ointment. "At least I made one last batch, huh?" she chuckled lightly, setting the small jar by her side as she grabbed a roll of clean white bandages from her bag and wrapped it around her waist. The wound was right on the side of her waist, a deep cut that she hoped wouldn't get infected. Zahra couldn't be so senseless next time. The man may have taken her by surprise, but she's a thief! She had to expect sneak attacks!

Once she was done Zahra put her dress back on, tying the dirty black cloak in place around her neck and tying her black belt back on. She stayed seated on the ground, ripping the bandages from her hands and looking at the damage. She frowned, running a hand over the top of her left hand and flinching at the pain. "At least it's healing," she shrugged, cleaning her hands of the dirt and grime before rubbing the ointment on her wounds. Her left hand wasn't as bad as her right hand, the deep cut not having healed yet and irritated because she was gripping the sack of gold with that hand. She'll have to hold the bag with her left hand till she made it back to the village, but Zahra decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to rest till the sun came up. She used the rest of her bandages on her hands, half on one side and half on the other. Her hands were completely mummified except for her fingers, deciding she'll take it easy so her hands can heal.

Zahra laughed once she was done, setting everything away and filling up her water before running a gentle hand over the mare's mane as she neighed happily by the touch. "Let's wait till the sun comes up," she told the horse as she ushered Gamila under a tree and she sat back down on the ground. She sighed, placing her hands on her chest as she stared up at the new moon and the stars that were starting to fade away in the sky. She took out the jackal pendent she had taken for herself and ran a finger over the gems, sighing happily at what she had found. She usually never stole anything for herself, but this time she made an exception. It was a cute little pendent after all and she should pleasure herself every once in a while. She stared up at the sky, keeping herself awake as the horse snorted and flopped on the ground going to sleep. She couldn't sleep. She'd be plagued by nightmares again. Besides there's only an hour or two before she'd go. Maybe she'd stay a bit longer then that so Gamila could get some rest. She sighed happily to herself and continued to stare lazily up at the sky, not noticing that her eyelids were starting to close and she suddenly passed out from exhaustion.

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: And… END SCENE! XD So what do you think? Yahs? Nahs? Hah Bakura has some competition now, doesn't he? Let's see if he catches wind of where she is now. And I wonder if Seto and Alexis know who stole from the pyramid. We'll just have to find out I suppose ^^ Well sorry for not posting anything sooner. I've been busy with school, as always. It may be summer school, but the courses I'm taking are overwhelming me ^^' SEE YOU LATER!**

Naeem – Egyptian – benevolent

Baruti – Egyptian – teacher

Yafeu – Egyptian – bold

Maskini – Egyptian – poor

The three monsters Zahra summoned are: _Darkworld Thorns_, _Dark Witch_, and _Dark Assassin_. Just in case the description wasn't enough for you to figure out. I'm not really good at describing people and creatures ^^' And I think you guys know what Mahado summoned, so I won't even bother telling you.

wahz – "power, dominion" (or _was_) sceptre that is a symbol that appeared often in relics, art and hieroglyphics associated with the ancient Egyptian religion. They appear as long, straight staffs, with a stylized animal head on top and a forked end. Used as symbols of power or dominion, and were associated with the gods (such as Set or Anubis) as well as with the pharaoh. Also represent the Typhonic beast or Set-animal (the mascot of the Egyptian god Set). In later use, it was a symbol of control over the force of chaos that Set represented


	9. The Upcoming Villages

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

Alexis © missb111

**A/N: Well I figured I should post a new chapter. We'll see if I post more later this week, but if I can't then just this one =D And I'm going camping for the weekend so I'll be gone for a while. Oh! And I was going to start making a short manga of Zahra and her missing past (because I "A" want to make a more linear side of the childhood story and "B" I want to try to actually make a short manga story… and hey I have this one already made up so I'll just use my OCs =D) Though it may be a bit of a spoiler, but I also want to promote this story since no one comments and I don't even know if anyone is reading this DX But anyways I don't even know if I'll do it. We'll see. Well… ENJOY! **

! #$%^&*()

_A group of children gathered into a cold and damp temple, a young girl with long black hair and jaded green eyes pulling a lightly older boy with bleached white hair and purple eyes into the temple and knelt down in the back. The two kids looked at each other and tried to not snicker, covering their mouths when a man with chocolate eyes stared over at them and glared. The girl mumbled something to the boy and he nodded back, rising once everyone else did. "Once every year our great patron comes to us in his spirit form," the man began, "and one of you children will be chosen to take on the beast –"_

"_Excuse me," the little girl asked, everyone turning their head to her as the man sighed._

"_Yes bin'nt?" he responded._

"_Why do we have to fight a god?" she asked, increasing her voice once she noticed everyone was listening to her. "I mean, what's the point? Is it to show our strength or our abilities or to get us killed –"_

"_I think what your daughter is trying to say is: what's the importance of this ceremony?" a man behind them explained, the boy next to the girl gulping as she giggled and nudged him in the arm. _

"_I see…" her father responded, shaking his head as he looked up to the ceiling trying to compose himself before he looked back at the children with a smile on his face. "It's not just a show of strength. We conduct this ceremony every year for our god and patron. He has been with us since the village started as we come from a line of royal architects and soldiers and –"_

"_I'm sorry," she sighed, "but I still don't see –"_

"_Then perhaps little children should learn to be patient," the man next to her father commented, the girl quickly growing quiet as she mumbled something under her breath and looked to the ground. _

_Her father smiled, continuing on with the ceremony as the boy looked over at the girl and nudged her back in the arm. "You okay?" he asked in a quiet way._

"_Completely Ak," she giggled. "Thanks for asking –"_

"_It seems our chosen child is chattering back there," her father pointed to her. "Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu, step forward."_

"_Uh oh," Ak chuckled, giving her a wink as she huffed at him and passed the children to make her way to the altar. _

_Zahra sighed and stood, waiting for her father's command as she tried to not show any fear. Then out of nowhere she sensed a presence, taking a dagger out from under her dress and glaring. The men stood stunned as the children scooted back, her eyes darting around trying to figure out where the presence came from. "What are you doing –"_

"_I-I just felt a presence and –"_

"_Zahra put the knife down," her father sighed, "it's not time yet –"_

"_There!" she yelped, throwing the dagger through the air and striking the wall. Everyone's eyes widened as a creature emerged from the wall, white as the clouds as he gripped her dagger and walked up to her. "Hah I knew it was you!" she giggled triumphantly._

"_Haven't you grown," he smirked back, "how many years?"_

"_O-only a few months," Zahra giggled meekly as her eyes wandered to the ground and her cheeks started to turn pink. "Ummm… diabound do I have to fight you?"_

"_No you don't," he smiled, walking over to her and dropping the dagger in her hand before he sat contently on the altar and gazed at the children, who stared at him in fright and awe. "You, Ak, come up," he ordered sternly._

"_Y-yes, my god!" he jumped to his feet, dashing past the children and bowing his head once he stopped in front of the god. _

_Diabound tilted his head at the boy's hesitation and chuckled lightly, placing a hand on his head as Ak looked up in shock. "You're a good little thief. Keep up the good work."_

"_T-thank you diabound," he smiled lightly, "thanks –"_

"_You have a good kid Akil," he looked over at the other man with a smirk, "same with you Seker," diabound told them and stepping off of the altar. "Do make sure you keep up the good work. Ak, Zah, stay faithful to each other, you hear?"_

"_Y-yes sir –"_

"_Because your existence will depend on your bond together," he smirked at them, the children looking at each other confused as he chuckled and turned around. "Now I must be going," he said waving his hand, "but enjoy the rest of the day. Take a celebration. I'm not in the mood for fighting right now. Perhaps at a later time in a later moment."_

_Zahra giggled once the god disappeared, "I still don't understand that god sometimes," she smirked._

"_Don't be insulting Zah," Ak pouted, "he will smite you –"_

"_Guess what he told me though," Zahra smiled happily, "he said that I'm more powerf –"_

"_That's enough from you two," Seker sighed. "If you're going to discuss something like that do it on your own time, not in the middle of a ceremony."_

"_Sorry abbi," she giggled, grabbing Ak's hand and pulling him back into the crowd as the children turned their eyes to them with either curiosity or jealousy and they sat in the back. "… He said I was more powerful then he," Zahra whispered to the boy now sitting next to her, "don't you think that's odd?"_

"_Nope," Ak shook his head, "you're an amazing creature Zah. I bet you have more power within you that you haven't even grasped yet."_

"_I hope you're right," she sighed, "because I still don't understand what diabound means."_

"_That's alright," Ak chuckled, "as father says, 'Everything will come in due time.' Just wait patiently and it'll come to you. Don't worry. I'll make sure you don't fall away from your true intentions."_

"_Y-your sure about that Ak?" she gulped._

"_Of course," he grinned, "why not – Zah!" Ak yelped as she giggled and gripped him tightly._

"_You're just so cool!" she laughed happily, everything turning their heads and glaring. "Oh," she thought suddenly and chuckled lightly, "Sorry guys! Continue!" Ak shook his head and laughed, Zahra giggling happily as she set her head on his shoulder and quickly became quiet. Her father shook his head and continued, Zahra sighing happily as she closed her eyes and let Ak's hands roam around her and wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her close. _

! #$%^&*()

Zahra gasped, waking up from her slumber to notice that the sun was shining high up in the sky. She groaned as she sat up, running a hand through her hair as she rubbed her eyes. "Ugh," she grumbled under her breath seeing Gamila sleeping beside her. She sat up and yawned, stretching her arms and scratching her hair as she looked over to the sack and smiled that it was still there. "No one must have come this way," she chuckled lightly, standing up and stretching her limbs before patting the mare on the stomache to wake her up. She smiled at the horse, not her usually grumpiness in the mornings, but actually smiling. "I just had the oddest dream," she sighed lightly and fixed the black cloak around her neck, "but at least it was a **good** dream. I usually don't get one of those, especially during the new moon. How odd!"

The horse neighed happily as Zahra chuckled, patting the horse on the side of her face before sighing and wandering over to the gold left out in the sun. "You'd think someone would have taken this by now," she snorted, "but whatever. Let's get going." She let the horse stretch since she was in a good mood right now and didn't know how long that would last. She decided to take her hood off, pulling her black hair out from under her cloak so it'd fly in the wind while she rode. Still she was a bit unnerved by the dream. It felt like an actual memory, but from when? Where? How? Who was that child and how come she was speaking to a god that wasn't as strong as herself? She felt a bit unnerved about the whole thing, but it was the first good dream she'd had in years. And she also had her father's name, "Seker," she realized as Gamila looked at her confused and she simply smiled.

"Apparently my father's name is Seker, Gamila," she chuckled happily. "Perhaps my memories are actually going to come back to me. Not going to assume it will, but hey it's worth a shot. Maybe these cursed villages are giving me my memories back. I don't know, but let's get going. They're probably worried and wondering if I'd died or not." The horse neighed with glee and let Zahra slowly jump on her back, careful to not open the wound that was still closing up on her side. "Okay let's go. YIAH!" Zahra yelled and cracked the reins, Gamila neighing and taking off into the sand.

! #$%^&*()

Zahra raised an eyebrow, noticing that barely anyone was outside. That was until a young boy noticed her riding up with her long black hair and her black cloak flapping behind in the breeze. She laughed heartedly and rode around the villages a few times, getting everyone's attention till she pulled on the reins and jumped down. "I brought tidings of great joy!" Zahra grinned, throwing the sack on the ground as it spilled open and showed them the jewelry she had stolen. "See? If you find the right merchants you can sell this gold for a hefty price. I know a few that can help us of course, but can't you see that thievery is just any sort of profession as a farmer or worker?"

"Wow we're _really~ _impressed woman," Khalifa walked up to her before snorting, "but that doesn't prove anything –"

"Oh what?" she huffed, "What didn't it prove? The gold is here. You can revive your villages –"

"But that's not enough," he explained. "We'd need much more, at least three times more to get our villages up and running –"

"That's why we need to train!" Zahra told him as she walked over to Basir and gave him a smile. "A week, perhaps a month and these villages can become a great power in this kingdom. Trust me, villages of thieves have been done and I assure you if you go along with this you'll be learning from one of the best," she grinned.

"… I still don't know –"

"If you don't like what I'm saying consult your gods. Speak to the ghost of Karbukef. He told me specifically to train you in my specialties, and that's thievery," she explained. "If you can't accept that I'll train anyone else who'd like to become a thief. We can use your pyramid as practice and fight mock battles. We can ride into neighboring villages disguised as one person or another and work on stealth and secrecy. Of course this is entirely up to you… I don't have to do any of this, but hey if you don't want me around keep the gold. I won't need it where I'm going," she finished with a smile of her face. Though it wasn't a sincere smile, it was still a smile Zahra would develop on occasion.

The man sighed. "We'll see when the merchants come by," Khalifa told her, "and if I still have my doubts you can leave with them."

"Great," Zahra chuckled and turned her head, pointing to the treasures, "I don't care what you do with it, but I'll be staying in the Amenhotep village if you need me." She nodded at Jalila that she saw standing in the crowd and walked away, the horse following loyally behind her. Khalifa narrowed his eyes, the crowd coming closer to the treasures and looking them over. He divided the items as equally as he could; giving families slightly bigger items while those who lived alone. Besides they had to get ready for the merchants to arrive. Perhaps most of his people could actually buy off their debt with the money they have, but he doubted it. Still it'll be enough for food and the occasional clothing and an increase in rations for the month. Of course that meaning he kept more than half of the treasure, but he'll sell what he could for food anyways. He was unnerved by the woman and decided to take her advice and discuss this with the spirits that have passed in AmAuNet if he should trust her, going back to his village of Netem-Mennefer with the slightly half-full sack of gold in his hands.

Zahra watched from afar with a smirk on her face, looking over at Fazi as he patted the horse and looked over at her with unsure eyes. "Just where did you get that gold –"

"Stole it, as I said," she smirked. "Besides you're a spy correct. I can't have you watching us you know."

Fazi shook his head, "I wouldn't tell on you –"

"Well as a proper thief I wouldn't believe you," she chuckled.

He chuckled back and scratched the back of his head. "I suppose… but I'll leave once the sun sets. Then I'll leave you to your own devices."

"Good," Zahra nodded and turned her back to him, walking into Jalila's tent and flopping onto a nearby blanket to rest her head for a while. Fazi had a feeling he knew where she had gotten the gold, but he'd have to get back into a town or perhaps even a city to find out what had happened. He'll have to report this back to his leader, but yet he was having doubts. The woman saved his life after all… but perhaps he could come up with a way to tell Bakura about the woman without saying everything; like her saving him and the personal information she had told him in the pyramid. That'd be details he'd just leave alone. He sighed and grabbed Gamila's reins, taking them off and patting the horse as she neighed happily. He smiled. Perhaps it won't be so bad owning his own horse for once. Besides he'd seen the man who owned her die and he knew the mare was looking for a new master. Might as well be him. Fazi ushered Gamila over to the Nile so she could drink and rest, wondering how Zahra was doing now that she was back and resting her wounded hands.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"That's enough Seto," a priest told him, Seto letting out a huff as he let go of the man and closed the cell behind him.

"Sorry master Akhenaden," he answered politely, "but all I hear is no one knowing about this new thief."

"You mean the woman?" Akhenaden asked, Seto giving him a nod. "Well… perhaps it was just a fluke. A once in a lifetime moment."

"Perhaps," Seto narrowed his eyes, "but I have a feeling we will be seeing her again."

"You think?" he asked.

"Of course," Seto chuckled lightly and began to walk down the hallway, "Now if you excuse me there's someone I must talk to. Can you take care of everything else down here master?"

"That won't be a problem," Akhenaden gave him a nod as he watched the priest leave, continuing on with their interrogation as Seto walked casually though the hallways and up the stairs to the ground level. He narrowed his eyes, a dark frown coming to his face. He had a feeling he knew this woman, this woman dressed in a long black cloak hiding her features except for a few strands of long black hair. No one could see her eyes, not even Mahado, and if Mahado couldn't see her features then she must have been concealing herself with her own magic. Zahra was the first woman that came to mind, wearing a long black cloak when he had seen her returning with Alexis before leaving into the desert. He thought she had left, but why would she be after treasures? This wasn't like her. Sure she liked challenges, but she had everything to lose and nothing to gain. Perhaps she had been working for these thieves and they didn't notice or perhaps she's working for someone else. Unless… "She could be giving it away," he realized. Seto wouldn't be surprised if she did. Zahra, when they were living together, would steal things like foods and jewelry when they needed a meal or Alexis had her eye set on an item and wished to have it. She never worked for herself and always had an ulterior motive. Now the question was who was she working for?

There was also one other question that came to his mind. There was a thief among the three by the name of Baruti that told him he had seen the same sort of woman. Big black cloak, long black hair that flew past her face as she ran and hiding the rest of her features. He had been out of the country at the time and it had been several years ago. She was much younger then, about eighteen he told him, and she was working for a merchant that had her taking down any competitor they came across. He told Seto it was a horrifying sight, the bodies of men dropping to the ground like flies. Spirits roaming around ripping at bodies and desecrating the life around them with a dagger. All controlled by the woman whenever she was in a fit of rage. Now the reason why the man wouldn't speak was because of his suspicions, but the more he thought the more Baruti had confirmed it was the same woman except she had grown several years. The same eerie aura with heightened skills and a calmer sense of bloodshed. She wasn't after blood, only the gold. After pressuring the man Seto finally got a name, "Skia Diana," he snarled as if the words were vomit spewing from his mouth.

A horrid name, shadow huntress. Even fouler was the fact she was associated with Diana, a goddess. To say that means his fears were coming back, the woman that must have created that white dragon that destroyed his home was back, but yet if she was the shadow huntress then that dragon couldn't have been hers. Still he didn't like the idea of Zahra being back, her powers having grown ten times more then he last encountered. The fact that she was able to control the powers that would send her into rampages over the smallest of details. The reason for his mother's early death and the reason Alexis and he had to leave their village and fend for themselves. If he ever saw her again he would question her, yell at her, and demand she stop this madness. She wouldn't stay on this dark path! It would lead to her ruin! Sure, he wouldn't admit it, but he did care. If his mother cared and his sister cared then he'll have to care too. Looking up he noticed the woman he was seeking. "Alexis," Seto said roughly, "I need to speak to you in private."

"But I'm on my way to see Isis –"

"That can wait," he huffed, walking into a nearby room and expecting Alexis to follow. He ordered the servants out of the room as Alexis snarled and came inside, glaring at him as if he had gone crazy. "Did you know a thief had gotten away with a sum amount of the pharaoh's gold?"

"Yes," she snorted and crossed her arms. "They say it was a woman right? A thief that must be working for the King of Thieves –"

"Well you are mistaken," Seto told her, ushering her to sit before he told her the news. "From what I found out, this woman could be our sister."

"Z-zahra?" Alexis' eyes widened, sitting down and looking to the ground. "But wait," she shot her eyes up to look at him intently through critical eyes, "how can you know this? How can you assume it's her –"

"She wears a black cloak and has long black hair," Seto stated, "and so does the woman that was at the tomb. Also, from what the prisoners had identified she was wearing the same sort of clothing as you had given Zahra before she left. Lastly was the fact she could summon shadow creatures at a whim, something only us priests should only be able to do. So Alexis, care to explain why this _Shadow Huntress_ is still lurking about Egypt?"

Alexis gulped, "So you know," she chuckled lightly. "… How did you come across that name –"

"That's not important," he huffed, "and tell me **all** the details."

"Fine," she huffed. "… When you came to the place and I was accepted to be a temporary priestess-in-training I had heard roamers of a woman about our age dressed in a black cloak with black hair and tan skin like an Egyptian. Specifically I had first heard of a band of merchants with a group of dancers that would entertain the villages and towns they went to with dancing. This dance came from many different backgrounds, even originating back here to Egypt. That same woman was in that group, dancing in the style of the Egyptians and even knowing some of the ritual dances we only perform for the gods. Then I heard about this other woman, a woman called the Skia Diana. She lurks in the night and steals gold and silver, but only from rich mans' houses. It is rumored that she gives these items to the poor or keeps them for herself, but either way the money vanishes from the land. Then I put two and two together, since the identity of the woman who dances and the woman who steals were equally matched. Since we weren't going anywhere I followed the gossip," Alexis grinned happily. "I decided after a year that I'd try sending a letter to this woman. I had a feeling she was Zahra and if she was she wouldn't hesitate to come back if she learnt I was in trouble –"

"You sent a fake letter?" Seto rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I'm not done!" Alexis snorted. "Anyways I sent her a letter and after a few years she came back. I never thought it would work, but it did and she finally came back to us," she grinned happily.

"So you put this kingdom of Egypt in danger **just** because you wanted to see Zahra?" he growled.

"No," she huffed, "I-I just thought that I could still help her… and what if this is the only time I get to see her? To leave her on a bad note like we had… I-I can't do that Seto. She's my sister and I love her. I can't let her think she's cursed or something –"

"Well that explains a few details," he sighed, "but tell me why she's still here?"

"I don't know," Alexis shrugged. "I thought she had left by now. Oh that Zahra, always getting into trouble!... W-what are you going to tell the pharaoh?"

"Only everything I have to," Seto snorted, "nothing more and nothing less. Now I suppose my meeting with you is done –"

"Seto what are you going to tell them!" her eyes widened, gripping his cloak and shaking him. "Tell me! If you're going to get Zahra into trouble and even killed –"

"I wouldn't do that unless she dragged herself into that mess herself," he huffed. "All I will do is tell the pharaoh what he wants. The men do not know who this woman is and she's not associated with the King of Thieves. Though what Zahra does with her life isn't my concern. Now can we go?"

"… Yes," she pouted, pushing past him and dashing down the hallway. Seto glared at the direction his sister disappeared in before turning the other way and walking down the hallway, his thoughts lingering in his head. He'd only give what the pharaoh wanted, but he was deciding to include the title of the woman that thief believed to be her. If she was Zahra then… he sighed. He hoped she wouldn't get herself into trouble, get herself arrested and then tortured and killed. If he had to do that to her… yes he may hate her, but it doesn't mean he'd go so far as to get her killed. She was his sister after all, adopted or not she'll always be part of their family. Seto shook his head and huffed. No, he wouldn't think this right now! He had bigger dilemmas to solve other then what Zahra was up to. He pushed past a few servants while he walked by as he came towards the throne room, his head held high as he prepared himself for the words he would have to tell the court.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

Zahra sighed, looking over at Jalila with a smile before slipping off her clothes and bandages and slipping down into a large pond the AmAuNets called their bathes. It was a beautiful place and the cool water caused her to grin and close her eyes. "Do you think we'll be ready in a few more weeks?" she decided to ask.

"Probably sooner," Jalila smiled back as she watched Zahra wade in the middle of the pond staring at her from shore. "Everyone is working hard. The techniques you're teaching us are difficult, but even little Jai is starting to understand what you're saying. Sure he won't be with us when we raid, but if he can learn then the rest of us can too."

"That's good to hear," she smiled before sighing and emerging her body completely in the water. Jalila couldn't help but stare, noticing how perfect her body looked in the faint moonlight. It was as if her body was sculpted by the gods and she was starting to get envious of the other woman. After all here's this thief with the looks and charm to even tempt the pharaoh to be as her husband and yet she has no sort of man. She **chose** to have none. The thought puzzled her, but yet she had never been outside of AmAuNet before so the world must be a much bigger and scarier place then even here. Maybe something happened to her to make her this way, but Zahra would never tell them, even to Jalila about her past. She just had to be grateful that this thief was even helping them at all. Jalila just hoped her efforts will be enough – "Jalila you're staring," Zahra told her as she ran a bar of soap over her arms.

"O-oh?" Jalila answered, her cheeks quickly turning red as Zahra chuckled at her.

"Yes missy," Zahra smirked as the other woman quickly turned her head and blushed. "That's quite alright," Zahra told her, "but I'm just making sure you're aware." Jalila nodded and turned her gaze back to the water, trying to avoid Zahra as she continued to bathe without being bothered by her eyes.

"She must be used to this," Jalila realized, mumbling to herself in a low voice so the other couldn't hear. Zahra had told them that she had never consummated with a man before, but now she wondered how many times they have tried. She was a sight to look at, even with her unkempt hair with scar and battered body. In fact that improved the mystery and charm she had, her bright jaded green eyes the most alluring feature of herself. Still Jalila could guess she had done this before, having to have someone watch her, be it man or woman, as she bathes in the dark. Knowing the men they would try to take advantage of this moment and with the women they would act like Jalila and try not to notice. Perhaps she had been a siren or a nymph, luring men to their watery graves, or truly a goddess that had come down from the sky to save them. She had been praying every since her family died for a savior, even a god to come down to save them and this was their chance. Jalila figured everyone came to that conclusion, since she came out of nowhere without an intention to help them until she ended up here. It was a bazaar way to start, but they were all thankful for her assistance and over the short days she had shown up, everyone was working hard to improve themselves. It'll only be a few more weeks before they go out on whatever mission the leaders decide. She just hoped they'd be ready in time.

From a distance there was another set of golden eyes watching Zahra bathe, deep in thought. Basir couldn't help but think, deciding Zahra was more interesting to look at then watching the barren desert for any other stragglers. To think it was only a few days ago Zahra arrived to them and only less time since she'd decided to help them. The gold they had received, even if he had gotten only a ring or two, was the most he had ever owned in his life. He wondered how she could have gotten a hold of so much, this little, innocent looking woman who was bathing in the pond. He only hoped their efforts will truly help their lives, and that the thief's efforts weren't in vain. The leaders weren't happy with her presence, but they didn't shun her away either. In fact most were warming up to the idea and have started training too, the loud mouth Khalifa included. Basir chuckled lowly. How he hoped Zahra realized how much these villagers needed their efforts to succeed, amount to something other than death and starvation. That is all they have known for hundreds of years and they were all sick of it. If this woman could lead them to the next level then they will follow willingly, even if it'll lead to most of their deaths.

Thievery as a profession. Even for Basir that idea is foreign to him. Sure they have all heard tales of thieves attacking the pharaoh, the most famous and recent being the infamous King of Thieves and his band of rugged men who line Egypt from lower to upper under the eyes of pharaoh. It was amazing how someone could do that, but now here they are training as warriors and becoming thieves. He wondered how they will fare between those men, if they will ever be close to the skill level he is. Basir sighed, noticing Zahra was getting out of the water and Jalila was helping her. He smiled, staring at Jalila. He hoped everything will be alright in the end and their lives will improve. Then perhaps he can have a better life, have a family and children as everyone else has. He never gave it much thought because he never wanted to bring a child into this world knowing they will be living in a village surrounded by evil and hatred, but now that may all change and if it does he'll be the first to start a new family built in this hidden cursed villages.

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: And that's it for now =3 Ah! Now for some excitement! And let's see… I think Bakura will show up in two more chapters. I think… anyways I hope you guys are enjoying this. I am still taking OCs if anyone has any. Also if you have questions, comments, or just want to chat I won't mind some reviews =D And as always… SEE YOU LATER!**

_bin'nt_ – Arabic – _daughter/girl_

Seker – Egyptian – "he who is shut in" "the night sun"

_abbi_ – Arabic –_ (my) dad_

Jai – Indian – victory


	10. The Foreign Links

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Meh. I figured it was about time I post another chapter. Plus there's Independence Day here in the USA so I have a day off Wednesday =D Though I'm a bit sad. There won't be as many fireworks as usual because where I live there's a bunch of fires… about six or seven forest fires so far DX It's pretty depressing and we usually don't have this many, but oh well. It's a dry season I suppose. Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter… and you'll be seeing Bakura soon. I promise you that ^^**

! #$%^&*()

"… Great Gyasi! Use your right hand to block… That's a lot better Ottah, but for more power with your swing push off with your left leg more. You're favoring your right leg." Zahra smirked as she walked through the men that had decided to go through with her training, a few women in the mix too. She couldn't help but grin at her accomplishment. According to Khalifa the caravan will come by noon so they had time to train before they showed up. She wondered if they could ransack the caravan for the horses and supplies, but sadly Khalifa argued harshly against her statement so they'll have to buy their own goods… or make them their selves. Usually only the leaders, mainly Khalifa, would talk to these merchants, but Zahra insisted she comes along to learn of what they could bring them and if she would need a ride back into town. She was neglecting that idea since they had only been training for a short amount of time and still needed her assistance. Plus Fazi already left days ago with the horse she had used. So there was nothing for her to get back by.

"Basir catch your opponent off guard by striking for his back. You have the speed to pull it off… That's right Edjo! You can trip him by swinging your foot under their feet. It catches them off guard and you can evade their swings at the same time… Sabola use your legs more. You're nothing but upper body strength and you need to use your whole body when evading and attacking opponents. Keep it up people! Another half hour!" Zahra sighed and sat down on a wall, wiping her brow and grabbing her water skin from her bag. Then she glanced over to notice a group of children playing on the other side, using sticks to strike each other as the adults were doing on the sand a few yards away. "What cha doing?" she asked casually, the children letting out a yelp once they noticed Zahra was watching them with a grin.

"W-were training like the elders m-miss," a young boy told her.

"That's great," Zahra chuckled, "and the name's Ranpu, not miss. Jai if you work on your footwork you could make a good pick pocketer."

"Y-you think?" he grinned.

"Of course!" she laughed. "Everyone starts from somewhere and pick pocketing is the easiest training for a young man like yourself. And Chaths –"

"Y-yes?" he stood up looking up in shock at Zahra.

"You seem to favor your left hand so hold the sword in your left and not your right. A thief should be able to use both hands when attacking and defending, but since your kids don't worry about such things. Strengthen your skills with your best hand before moving on to the other," she told them.

"Y-es miss – I mean Ranpu," Chaths bowed, Zahra nodding as she jumped off of the wall and set her skin down before going back to the adults. "How did she know my name –"

"Oh she seems to know _**everyone's**_," Jai laughed, "but don't worry about it. Come on guys! You heard the teacher! Let's go!" They laughed and continued to strike each other, glancing over at the adults as Zahra called and incorporating their tactics to their own training.

! #$%^&*()

As the caravan neared the cursed villages a man sighed, running a hand through his raven hair as they came over a dune and saw the villages. "Geeze I hope it's not as bad as people say," he huffed as he followed behind several other groups of merchants as they neared the villages of AmAuNet. He looked up and raised an eyebrow, his brown eyes quickly catching hold of a black haired woman with a black hood over her face and her cloak fluttering behind her back in an eerie way.

"Now Ranpu –"

"Yes I get it," Zahra huffed. "I'll keep quiet… for a while."

"Good," Khalifa snorted. Zahra snorted back. She hated following orders, but this was their business and not hers. She wouldn't butt in till the time was right, getting her requests in place before the merchants left. If Khalifa becomes too much for her she'll just leave with the caravan, using the gold she had stolen for currency as a way to get across. "Welcome," Khalifa smiled and greeted the head of the caravan of merchants, a tall rigid man jumping down from his horse and handing the reins off to his servant before walking towards them with a wide smile on his face.

"It's good to see you again Khalifa," he smiled to him, noticing the woman standing in the back glaring at him. He quickly shrugged off her gaze, turning his attention back to the leader. "Now will it be the basics as usual –"

"Actually we had a different sort of trade in mind," Khalifa smirked. "Everyone in the villages would like to pay back their debt today plus buy food for the upcoming month."

"Oh?" he asked. "How would you pay for that –"

"This," the leader ushered a few men to bring over the gold, the sack only half full of gold as they set it at his feet. "I expect this will be enough."

"W-wha –" The merchant paused in shock, kneeling down to look at the contents in the sack. "… Where did you get this?"

"That is for us to know and you to find out," Khalifa explained. "So? May we have our food?"

"… Of course," he nodded, ushering his slaves to bring forth one of the carts full of foods and spices. "This will cover for some of this gold… I'll erase everyone's debt."

"Thank you," Khalifa smiled, his men grabbing the cart and pushing it towards the villages of Netem-Mennefer.

The merchant couldn't help but be suspicious, his servants grabbing the gold and setting it into the cart. "If you don't mind me asking, but I still wonder how you came across all this money –"

"Look," Zahra huffed and stepped forward, "if the man said it's none of your business then it's none of your business."

"Ranpu –"

"Come on Khalifa I need to ask them a few questions," she snorted. "I don't have time to wait another month and you don't either. Let's get this over with."

"What over with?" the merchant asked slyly.

She huffed, "Don't use that tone on me," she snarled. Then her voice quickly turned calm, pointing to the rest of the caravan. "I was wondering if you sold other things then food. Perhaps trinkets, knifes and weapons, clothes and armor."

"Usually no one asks for those things here –"

"I'm not ordinary," she smirked. "Now do you or don't you?"

"Well we usually only pass by this place on our way to Hierakonipolis, but for you young lady I can see what these men could offer you," he smiled to her, still being cautious around her and quickly turning around to talk with a few of the men at the head of the line.

Zahra sighed, scratching the back of her head and looking towards the sand. She never liked making these sorts of agreements, but if they have the money they might as well use most of it. They don't want to keep all this gold because if the pharaoh's guards come into AmAuNet then they'll be punished for stealing from the ruler of this realm. She didn't want to have to stand in their way, but it was the only choice so she wouldn't get caught – "Ah Ranpu it's you!" a man cried out and ran towards her, gripping her in a tight hug. "My gods you've grown!" he laughed and jumped with her back and forth.

"For the love of gods Daleel, let go!" Zahra yelled back, trying to pry him away as he kept her close with a stone-tight grip. Khalifa raised an eyebrow as she started punching the man on the chest, obviously not forcefully or else the man would be on his ass right about now.

"How long –"

"A year," Zahra pouted in his grasp. "Won't leave me alone will you?"

"We just ran into each other, _that's all~_" he laughed, finally letting her go as Zahra let out a breath of air and took cautious steps backward.

"Why are you here?" she huffed.

"Selling goods of course," he pointed to his covered wagon. "If I can sell everything I'll turn around and head back to Hermonthis. Cyanae is waiting for me there. Gods, when she sees you she'll flip out!" Daleel laughed.

Zahra just rolled her eyes. "I see…"

"Yes, though now I wonder why **you're** here," he smirked, "but let me guess. It's because it's cursed right? You like cursed places don't you. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No," she sighed, "no I haven't… I wished I did though. It's hard to find a hidden village around here. It's sort of… hidden. And I was actually heading south."

"Sadly that's not where I'm going," he pouted. "I'll be heading back north and taking the first boat out of here to Greece."

"I'll come with you –"

"You have things to do here," he smirked, "and seeing as you're becoming famous –"

"Famous?" Zahra raised an eyebrow.

"Oh you don't know?" Daleel smirked slyly. "Apparently the pharaoh is looking for you. A fine has been brought out for you… but who am I to meddle in affairs? It's all a hubbub really."

"So what are they saying about me?" she asked, her interest in their conversation increasing.

"Meh I won't tell you –"

"Daleel come on!" Zahra snarled.

Before she could react he had her in a vice grip, laughing and wrapping his arms around her body and pulling her close to him. "Now is that any way to speak to the man that _saved you~_?"

"… Daleel, can you **please** tell me?" she pouted at him.

He smirked. "They say it's a woman with a long black cloak and long black hair hiding her eyes," he began in a whisper in her ear, "and they say she breaths out fire and lightning comes out of her butt."

"Daleel!" she huffed at him.

He just laughed louder. "I'm only kidding," he chuckled, "but don't worry about anything. They don't seem to know who it is… Oh! The pharaoh is also looking for the Skia Diana, so be careful. If someone else recognizes you you're toast."

"Thanks for the update," she grinned, turning her back to him and slowly walking away.

"H-hey wait," he called out to her, Zahra stopping in her tracks. "Ummm… if you need some help I can be of assistance –"

"Why?" she snorted. "What's your angle **this** time?"

"Oh I'm having a little problem with some men in Lower Egypt," Daleel shrugged, "and since Cyanae and I want to leave in this month they're making matters difficult for us."

"Who are they?" she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Tax collectors," Daleel snarled.

Zahra smirked at him and laughed. "Oh alright. You know the rules. You help me and I help you."

"Deal," he held out his hand, Zahra shaking it and letting go. "What do you need?"

"Weapons for an army mainly," Zahra shrugged, "but right now we're not ready to go out into battle and raid yet."

"Ah, building a village of thieves from the ground up," he nodded in understanding. "Good luck with that. Cyanae and I can help you with whatever you need. If you come with me back to the city I can pool the resources together for you. It seems like this bozo at the front doesn't know what he's talking about," Daleel huffed. "Anyways just make a list or come with me and I'll gather everything you need. You're my little Amazon after all."

"Thanks… I think," Zahra snorted at the end, disliking that he called her an Amazon, but it wasn't as bad as the other names he could have given her. She looked back to Khalifa and walked over to him, his face flaming mad after talking to the head merchant. "Say I'm going to go with this caravan back into town," she explained, "and when I come back have some more money with you. If not –"

"You can pay me back with interest!" Daleel laughed and held up his thumb in approval.

Zahra rolled her eyes and shook her head exhausted. "Anyways do you think you guys can hold down the fort while I'm gone? I'll try to make my way back by the upcoming month."

"Of course," Khalifa nodded. "We'll keep training while you're gone."

"Thank you," she smiled and turned her back.

"No thank you," he chuckled. "I'm starting to believe our village is coming back to life straight from the ashes of the dead."

"Well alright," she nodded and chuckled back. "Keep safe and don't die." Khalifa nodded and watched her leave, Zahra jumping onto Daleel's cart and sitting next to him at the reins. He smirked and waited for the man to give the order to move, cracking the reins for the camels to move. What they hadn't noticed were the eyes on her, bright olive eyes staring at the caravan as they began their journey out of the villages and back into the desert.

! #$%^&*()

Zahra sighed, her head resting against Daleel's shoulder as they made their way across the desert. "I know this has been a long trip, but –"

"No matter," Zahra answered and looked up at him weary with a weak smile on her face, "It took a day in a half, but we'll be getting down to business soon… right?"

"Right," he chuckled, "but I'll need you to disguise yourself a bit –"

"Free of charge?" she asked with a wide grin on her face.

Daleel shook his head and laughed. "Perhaps, or I'll have to start a tab for you."

"_No again~!_" she pouted, taking her head off of him and staring out at the sand as the city of Hermonthis began to come into view. He smiled and ushered her in back, letting Zahra change in private and pick from a wide selection of clothing and other items that were kept in the back. Zahra didn't really have to change, perhaps her clock but nothing else. After all she was currently wearing a tethered and worn out piece of clothing Jalila had given her to use since her other dress had blood all over the side. Not noticeable if you didn't look, but it was there and had to be thrown away.

Taking her time to change Daleel led the camels into the city, following the streets as he calmly made his way deep into the heart of the city before deciding to stop. "Done yet –"

"Yeah, yeah," she pouted, lifting the curtain and jumping out of the back once the camels had stopped. Zahra raised an eyebrow when he noticed Daleel staring at her, looking down at the black and green dress she was wearing that sit firmly along the contours of her skin. He gulped, Zahra huffing as she wrapped a black cloak over her neck and placed it on her head. "**What** Daleel?" she huffed before turning her gaze away from him and down at the new necklace she had around her neck.

He chuckled and shook his head, "I just… the last time I saw you I never saw you as… **this**."

She glared at him, "A woman you mean?"

"N-nah I mean –"

"Daleel stop while you're ahead," she huffed, flipping her bag over her shoulder and casually walking down the streets.

He began laughing at her, Zahra turning with a snarl as she glared daggers at him. "The inn is **that** way," he pointed in the other direction.

"Whatever," Zahra snorted, turning around with her head held high as she passed him and walked down the street. She had chosen the outfit for two reasons: one it was the only black dress he had and if she had to take off her cloak she'd want something black on, and two it actually fit her like a glove unlike most that slipped over her and were too big or too small for her body. She had a nice body to look at, but she definitely looked more attractive if her clothing would fit her like a glove. She slipped into the nearest inn with Daleel on her trail, roughly closing the door on his face as she smirked and laughed at his startled yelp. She casually walked up to the counter, avoiding the glares she was getting. "I'd like a cup of beer –"

"Make it four cups of your finest wine!" Daleel laughed from behind and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

She rolled her eyes. "Four?"

"One for you and three for me," he grinned, Zahra shaking her head and pushing him off of her as she stumbled past him towards the back.

Zahra didn't like how casual he was, saying hi to men he only just met and pointing to her, and even winking at her. She mumbled words of acid in her mouth, looking up the stairs and wondering where his wife was – "There you are!" a voice came from the top of the stairs, a woman with light brown hair jumping down and grabbing Zahra in a tight grip. "My gods, look Daleel she's back!"

"I know!" he laughed with a bottle of wine in his hand. "It's it great! Now we don't have to hire anyone!"

"Come along dear," Cyanae ushered her up the stairs, Zahra still cursing at him and mumbling about how she didn't get any beer. They both walked into a room and Cyanae closed the door behind her before locking it with a key, letting Zahra walk around before casually sitting down on the big bed. "We can get a mat out for you to sleep on –"

"Cyanae you don't have to –"

"Please be my guest," she smiled at her before flipping her light brown hair from her face. "To think I thought you were going to take Daleel from me. Boy was I wrong!"

"Hey you had every reason to assume before," Zahra chuckled lightly, "but so you know he was coming onto me **first**. I disliked that, but other than that you've been great." Cyanae nodded and grabbed out a mat from the side of the room, sprawling it out on the ground before laying a blanket and a pillow on it. "… All I really need is some bandages so I can clean my wounds."

"Figured," she answered with a chuckle, rushing over to a drawer and pulling out a case full of clean white bandages. "What happened this time?"

"Well let's see…" Zahra thought to herself as she took off her dress and set the bandages next to her. "My recent cut is a stab wound in my side when I was robbing a pyramid," she huffed, "but I got out in one piece." She took a wet rag Cyanae had given to her and began to clean that wound. "And other then that I got a deep cut in my right hand and a scrape on the top of my left when I was saving someone from drowning and falling down a waterfall. Everything else should have healed by now."

"Does it hurt?" she asked with a tinge of worry on her face.

"Not at all," Zahra chuckled back. "The stab wound was recent and it'll take some time to heal, but the pain is almost gone. The only thing I'm worried about is my right hand. I hope it's not getting infected."

"… Open your hand," Cyanae told her, Zahra sighing as she unraveled the bandages on her hands and showed her the damage. She pouted. "You should be –"

"_More careful~_. It's alright I'll be fine soon enough," she grinned. Zahra let the woman tie her bandages for her, cleaning her hands before wrapping them back up in white bandages and wrapping a long strip around her waist before tying it off. Her left hand was healing nicely, but her right hand may continue to cause pain for quite some time. No matter. Zahra will get through it… hopefully. Once Cyanae was done Zahra let out a sigh, quickly putting her clothes back on just in case Daleel comes through the door. "Thank you for taking me back in, but –"

"No buts Zahra," Cyanae huffed. "We're here for you okay? Just remember that."

Zahra cracked a smile before sighing as she sat up on the bedspread and stared at the other woman. "_So~_… what now?"

Whatever Daleel promised you _**this time~**_ we'll help you with right?" Cyanae answered, Zahra giving her a nod. "I see… then you'll help us up in Lower Egypt so we can get back home?"

"Yep," Zahra grinned at her and laid her head back on the pillow. "I don't know what you two got yourselves into, but I'll help you when we come to that road."

"Good," she nodded and laid her head down on the bedspread, "because we were hoping to run into you, but if not we would have to risk our own lives." Zahra nodded, letting out a yawn. "You know I'll see what Daleel is doing now," Cyanae huffed and stood back up, "because he's probably getting into trouble again."

"Probably," Zahra laughed, Cyanae chuckling with her as she left the room. Then Zahra sighed, closing her eyes. She doubted she'd be able to sleep, but it wouldn't hurt to try before the couple got back. She let herself drift off to sleep, or a half-form of sleeping where she had her eyes closed but was listening to the world around her. She calmly waited for Daleel and Cyanae to come back, wondering what he got them into **this** time.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

A tired jaded green eye suddenly appeared in the darkness, Zahra groaning as she heard Daleel and Cyanae _'playing'_ around on the bed next to her. She got up and stretched, grumbling under her breath as she grabbed a handful of food on a nightstand before walking out of the room. Since no one stopped her she decided to go outside, finding stairs that led up to the roof. She walked over to the edge of the roof and let out a sigh, sitting down and letting the cool air breath through her untamed hair and through her black and green dress. For once she wasn't wearing her black cloak, but that was because she'd be out of everyone's way and no one would bother her. She looked over the side and munched quietly on her food, watching the night dwellers walk around on the ground leaving and entering the inn. She was glad that she was able to sleep for a few minutes, but her mind was plagued with AmAuNet and with the new deal she made.

She'd have to figure out a way to get the Millennium Tome, but how? She could rob the palace, that's for sure, but she may get caught and wouldn't be able to return. Plus she had to work in the people of AmAuNet into the mix. The best way was to devise a plan to sneak into the palace so the villagers can take all the gold they needed and leave. In the meantime she could sneak into the palace and while the guards are distracted steal the book, though she hoped she wouldn't have to use the villagers as a distraction to get the book. If Daleel was going to help her then she'd need a few dozen horses, at least, and enough weapons for say… a hundred or two hundred people, and clothing they could use to hide under. They couldn't all go in at once. They'd have to take shifts and some would have to distract the whole time. Knowing Cyanae she'd work her little gypsy magic too, which Zahra wasn't thrilled about.

As she was deep in her thoughts Zahra didn't notice someone walking up the stairs, noticing her but making no attempt to leave as he sat on the other side of the roof. "What's a lovely woman like yourself doing up here?" he asked, Zahra's head looking up and spinning to look at the man before she shook her head and let out a sigh.

"Nothing much," she pouted. "I couldn't sleep… and there are some people in my room that are getting _**'related'**_ with each other."

"Oh," he chuckled lightly. "I see."

"Why are **you** up here?" Zahra decided to ask, deciding she had nothing better to do all night except to talk to the man.

"My men are giving me a headache," he huffed, "and I needed a break. I won't be long. I just needed some fresh air."

"Same," she responded, the two of them sitting with their backs to each other next to the edge of the roof looking out of the city to the night sky. Zahra munched on a date, turning around and looking at the man as she slowly munched on her food. She could tell from his back that he had messy white hair and was wearing a large red with white border cloak, but oddly enough she felt she saw that same clock somewhere – Her breath suddenly caught in her throat. He was the thief that had stabbed her. She ran a nervous hand through her hair and looked away. Hopefully the man didn't recognize her, since she wasn't wearing a large black cloak and wasn't hiding her face. Zahra quickly looked down to her side and let out a relieved sigh, noticing that her dress was hiding the white bandage that wrapped her waist. The bandages on her hands were visible, but she doubted the man would remember those. She was fearful, but if she played her cards right the man won't bother her. Plus it looked like he didn't want to be bothered, taking no notice of her as she turned to stare past him and out to the view of the desert he was looking at.

They sat there for a few minutes, perhaps hours for all she knew, and her eyes began to wander to her hands. She decided to look at them again, unwrapping her right hand and looking at her palm. That's when the man decided to turn around, watching Zahra as she set her bandage aside and pouted at the deep cut in her hand. "Where did you get that?" he decided to ask.

"Oh," she chuckled lightly and poked the healing flesh, "I had jumped into the Nile because someone was drowning and we went over a waterfall. Got this when I cut my hand with the knife I was using and from the rope as I climbed up."

"That wasn't smart," he huffed.

"Well my left hand was in more pain then my right," Zahra explained as she unraveled the bandage around her left hand and showed him the fading red scrapes of decayed skin. "This one hurt more than the other at the time, but now I can barely feel the pain now," she smirked. "I think it'll be healed by tomorrow. Perhaps the day after that."

"I'd offer something, but I don't know anything about injuries," he commented casually.

"Yeah well… it's alright. No need to fuss," she grinned at him, looking at the leftover dates in her hands and lifting them up with her left hand towards him. "Do you want some?"

"Sure," he shrugged, grabbing a little more than half of the dates into his hand and began to munch on them slowly. "What are you here for?"

"Well…" Zahra thought, trying to come up with a good explanation for why she was staying at this inn.

Then she groaned. She hated coming up with reasons – "Sorry. Did I anger you –"

"No," she huffed and popped a date in her mouth, "just thinking… I ran into someone and now they're making me stay with them for a while. I don't know what I'm doing here per say… just wandering around for the moment."

"… Then what are you exactly?" he raised an eyebrow.

She smirked, "Perhaps you should tell me about yourself before I tell you."

The man sighed. "I'm a thief. That's all there is to it –"

"So am I," she chuckled. "Thief, warrior, grave robber, assassin," she shrugged, "just whatever the job calls for. Have you wandered around the world or stayed here in Egypt?"

"Mostly stayed," he told her, "but I've been to a few other countries too, for negotiation purposes."

"I see…" Zahra nodded.

"… You travel a lot?" he asked as he popped a date in his mouth.

"I've been to a few places in the past eight years," she shrugged, "but it's nothing special. I'm just surviving. Steal if I need to and find shelter if I must. Though the farther north you go the colder it'll get, once you pass the Mediterranean and move towards the mountains."

"You lived here I'm guessing?" he asked again.

"Yep," she smirked, "I lived here when I was a child. I… uh…" Zahra looked towards the ground, trying to figure out how she'd explain her situation to the man. Not tell him everything, but just enough so he'd leave the question alone. "… I have some living relatives here, but they didn't want me around. Plus I was never _**'right'**_. I came across some problems and the family only adopted me after all. I didn't see a reason to put them in danger so I left, headed to the first boat shipped out of Egypt and made my way to Greece," she grinned. "Then after that I simply wandered around. Got in tune with myself and all of that. The only reason I'm back here is because my sister had contacted me, and I came back because I thought she was in danger. Wasn't, got pissed, and now I'm leaving. That's all there is to it," she chuckled lightly. "What about you? Anything exciting ever happened to you?"

"I wouldn't call it exciting," he shrugged, "but you could say I've been wandering too… in my own little way. I lost my family when I was twelve and I've been alone ever since. I've always known how to pick pocket and developed my skills further over time. That's it really…"

"Ah…" Zahra nodded. "… Lost your family too huh? I think I did too."

"You **think**?" he looked at her with a smirk. "People usually know –"

"I woke up in the middle of the desert and didn't know anything about myself and where I was," Zahra pouted at him. "I was about ten at the time… maybe eleven. I think I turned eleven by then or that's what I've always been told. Ummm… yeah. I was found barely alive with burns all over my body. It took me months to start speaking and even recall my name… Yeah…"

"Burns?" he frowned. "Wow… I don't think I've heard of anything like that."

"Perhaps you need to get out more," she chuckled lightly. "I still don't know what happened, but I've assumed my family is dead or they just disappeared. Either way they're dead to me anyways. If I'm never going to see them again I might as well assume they are."

"Good point," he nodded, popping the rest of the dates in his mouth. "… So who are you with?"

"A merchant and his wife," Zahra shrugged. "They sort of took care of me when I ended up in Greece so I owe them my life… almost. I paid off all my debts to the man, but still I end up running into him. It's starting to piss me off."

He laughed. "I see. Perhaps we'll meet again –"

"Bakura! We have to get going!" they heard from the bottom of the stairs.

The man grumbled and rolled his eyes. "Just a second Naeem," he hollered back, in a quieter voice, but held so much malice and authority that it made Zahra cringe a bit. "Sorry about that," Bakura chuckled and shook his head, "he doesn't know when to be quiet."

"Is he a friend of yours?" she asked meekly.

"You could say that," he shrugged and looked down at the woman as he stood up. "I must get going, so perhaps I'll see you? Maybe run into each other when we're raiding or something."

"Maybe," Zahra nodded, noticing the long bandage that wrapped around his exposed chest as he turned around and smirked.

"_Staring at something~?_" he asked with a grin.

"N-no," she huffed and pouted, turning her head and crossing her arms over her chest. The man shrugged and walked over to the stairs, slowly descending down. "W-wait!" she yelped, a hand going over her mouth once she noticed how whiny she sounded.

"Yes?" Bakura spun around and looked over at her.

"Ummm… the name's Ranpu," she told him. "Figured I'd tell you mine since I just heard yours."

"Yeah," he chuckled lightly, "Ranpu… Goodnight Ranpu."

"Goodnight," she waved to him, the smile on her face waning once she heard him step onto the ground and walk down the hallway. She huffed exhaustedly, running a hand through her long hair before flopping over the side of the roof and letting her head and arms hang over as she looked at the street. Now she knew his name, the name of Bakura, King of Thieves. Zahra wasn't thrilled that she had to meet him in the first place, but he didn't suspect anything. That was good enough. Now all she had to do was rally the villagers for an assault on the palace. From what she heard the man wasn't planning on doing it himself, yet, so she could go about her plan without too many problems. It all depending on how long Daleel took to find the goods. "Damn," she huffed under her breath. This may take a few weeks. She hoped it'll only take one, but if it's longer she'll have to do everything herself. She hated doing everything herself –

"Who were you talking to?" Zahra heard from the street below, looking down and noticing the voice to be that of the man Bakura called Naeem.

"A woman," Bakura answered with a shrug, "just a woman." He looked up to find Zahra looking down at him, eyeing him suspiciously as he casually looked back to Naeem. "Let's head back. If those other bums won't follow us that's their problem."

"Yes sir," he saluted, Bakura rolling his eyes as they made their way to the other end of the street. Zahra watched them fade away, suddenly hearing the sound of horses running off as she looked up and watched them leave across the sand.

She pouted. She probably won't see him again and if she did he won't be as friendly as he was a second ago. "Damn men," she huffed, rolling on the ground and stuffing the rest of the dates in her mouth before she wandered over to her bandages and put them back on. Zahra didn't want to go back to the room, but she wasn't sure if someone else would come up. She sighed, flopping on the roof and looking up to the sky. Perhaps she could just stare up to the sky till the sun began to rise… High in the sky…

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: And there we go! XD The next chapter is also a fun chapter, something that doesn't have to fit into the story but it'll be fun to write. Anyways what do you think of Bakura? Not too mean, huh? XD And yes there's more to Zahra's past, but we may not get to that for a while… we'll see. I hope you've enjoyed this. Enjoy your week, and see you later! =D **

Gyasi – Egyptian – wonderful

Ottah – Egyptian – third born

Edjo – Egyptian – another form of Uadjit, mystical cobra goddess

Sabola – Egyptian – pepper

Chaths – Egyptian – ends

Daleel – Arabic – one who guides

Cyanae – Greek – sky blue


	11. The Intricate Gypsies

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Let me start off with saying I was feeling a bit discouraged about this story, but let me continue with saying that I finally have one review! And a follower! That's great! =D And because of that I've lifted myself out of the dumps and decided to review this next chapter. Yes, Bakura shows up in this chapter. TADA! =3 You know I don't know what I'm excited about this review, but I just am. I've just been having a horrible semester (because everything is so fast because it's the summer and it's killing me DX) and hey a nice comment is… nice =3 And I had posted this on my dART account and someone just trashed my story. So… yeah, it hurts 3X and I don't know what to do about that. Didn't comment, didn't block, just… letting it sit there ={… Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It's mostly just filler stuff, but it's fun filler stuff! So ENJOY! =D **

! #$%^&*()

Zahra groaned, feeling her body being shifted as she opened up an eye and snarled at the person shaking her back and forth. Daleel chuckled, shaking her again as she lazily tried to push him away without being very effective. "Come on Zahra. You've been asleep for hours now!"

"Well maybe if you weren't banging your wife **right in front of me** I wouldn't be so crabby," Zahra snarled, noticing her black cloak was over her body like a blanket as she sighed and sat up.

"I'm sorry if I'm a _passionate~_ man –"

"Right. Going out to orgies and/or drinking every day is a term of passion of you?" Zahra snorted and stretched her arms, yawning in her hands as she stood up and finally looked at him eye to eye. "… Damn. I feel like hanging myself right now," she groaned and slipped out of bed, lazily reaching for her black cloak.

Daleel rolled his eyes, grabbing her cloak and flipping it over his shoulders as he taunted her and began to walk towards the stairs. "Just so you know, Cyanae got herself involved in some ceremony thing in a town a few leagues away. So while you two are doing whatever you do I'll be going around and getting the supplies you need. We'll meet in Nub-Em-Het in the afternoon. Now let's go!"

"I'm getting up! Gods man!" Zahra snarled and threw a few weak punches at him, the man laughing as he easily caught her fists in his hands.

"My gods I can't believe someone could get weaker, but here you prove me wrong – AGH!"

Daleel yelped, Zahra swiftly kicking him in the chest as she slipped her black cloak off of his shoulder and threw it on her own. "Jackass," she snorted, her cloak hanging lazily over her shoulders as she rushed down the stairs and looked around for Cyanae. The bar looked deserted and the rooms looked much more vacant. She wonder how long she had been asleep, but figured if Daleel was rushing her out the door instead of leaving her behind then she hadn't been asleep for long.

Zahra sighed and walked outside, smiling weakly once she noticed Cyanae was by the camels feeding them and putting their stuff away. "What a lazy bum," she huffed.

"I wonder why you married him," Zahra smirked, Cyanae turning around and noticing the grin plastered on Zahra's face.

"Wondering when you'd get down here," Cyanae grinned as she threw Zahra her brown bag. Zahra sighed and set the bag on her shoulders, wrapping the cloak around her neck before placing the hood contently on her head to avoid the heat of the sun. "Did Daleel tell you what we're doing –"

"What exactly are you doing in this 'ceremony'?" Zahra huffed, Cyanae smirking before giggling at the frown on the other woman's face.

"Dancing of course," Cyanae told her before turning her attention back to her work. "I need some extra cash so there's this festival going on in Nub-Em-Het that I'll be preforming in… Since you're here would you like to –"

"Nope," Zahra snorted and waved her hands. "_Nooooo~_ way –"

"Aw come on!" Daleel laughed from behind and wrapped an arm around Zahra's shoulder before hugging her close to his chest. "It'll be _fun~ _–"

"You just want to see me practically naked," Zahra tried to push him away, but snarled when he only brought her tighter to his chest and began to swing her back and forth.

"You're not getting away!" Daleel deviously smirked at her, Zahra yelling at him and pounding on his chest before sighing in annoyance and settling down in his arms.

Cyanae smiled at them before jumping into the back of the wagon, Daleel finally letting go as Zahra snarled and jumped into the back with Cyanae before Daleel sat in the front and grabbing hold of the reins. Zahra mumbled under her breath and curled up in the back, Daleel still snickering as he cracked the reins and got the camels moving. "Come on Zahra," Cyanae asked in a calm voice once they left the city. "I have some clothes I think you'll like and –"

"Cyanae I just don't… can I think about it?" she pouted.

The other smiled, "Well alright I suppose…" Zahra sighed and curled up in a tight ball, trying to fall asleep as the wagon slowly made its way into the desert. She felt Cyanae take her hood off from her head and run a hand through her long black hair, letting out a sigh before crawling up to the front and sitting beside Daleel. Zahra snorted, trying to get back to sleep as she looked at the items Daleel had in his possession. Well, as she said, she'll think about it, but Zahra didn't like the idea of dancing. It's not like she hasn't done it before, but Zahra's mostly done it for fun. Though if Cyanae needs the money Zahra supposed… She shook her head and sighed. This was going to be a long day.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Once they made it into the town of Nub-Em-Het Zahra could see why Cyanae wanted to work today. The streets were filled with people, many of them celebrating whatever festival was going on today. From the looks of the vendors and the outfits Zahra figured it was a celebration for Hathor, though she could have thought this was a celebration for Dionysus. The fact that she saw a lot of people drunk even before the celebration began made her eyes roll. Knowing Cyanae, and mainly Daleel, they'll be staying here for most of the week till the festival died down. It took some time for Daleel to find a spot to park his wagon, but once he did he set up shop and Cyanae ushered Zahra out of the back. "How about we meet back here as the sun is going down –"

"And not a minute later," Cyanae huffed. "Better yet meet us at the wedding I'll be in. Come Zahra. I need to find the place before the sun is too high in the sky." Zahra nodded and let the woman drag her through the streets, placing the hood of her cloak over her face in an attempt of concealing her features. She never liked crowds. You never knew who could sneak up on you and steal your valuables or pull you aside without anyone noticing.

It took them at least an hour to make it to the wedding celebration, but once they did Zahra's face went pale. "S-seriously?" Zahra snarled at Cyanae, the woman giggling at her expression as Zahra turned to run away.

"Oh no you don't!" Cyanae laughed and grabbed the back of her cloak. "It won't be so bad –"

"I'm dressing in that skimpy outfit!" Zahra threw her hands up in annoyance before trying to pry the end of her cloak free. "Those women barely have anything on –"

"Lighten up Ranpu!" Cyanae smirked at her, standing in front of Zahra to make sure she wouldn't run away before huffing and letting go. "It's a celebration after all. Besides we won't be wearing something like **that**, just some belly dance outfits like usual. Nothing new. Now that I know where this place is, let's go see the other vendors. I want to find the wine!"

"Of course you do," Zahra rolled her eyes, grumbling under her breath as the woman continued to pull her through the streets as they looked for the wine.

As they made their way through they had to stop for a procession, Zahra pulling Cyanae out of the way before she got trampled by the footmen. Zahra pulled way into the back hiding in the alley way, letting Cyanae bow for them as she simply sneered. She hated nobility, the bowing and reverence even though they were nothing special. They were human and mortal, yet they try to make themselves mightier than everyone else. Zahra huffed. If she was going to have to bow she'd rather die and fight the guards then do something as degrading as that – "_My~_ who's this?" a cracked voice said from behind, Zahra looking around confused till her eyes came upon an old priestess with her arms crossed staring at Zahra.

"Who are you –"

"You're the daughter of Seth aren't you?" she asked, Zahra's eyes going wide as her mouth almost fell out of her mouth.

"W-wait what are you talking about – HEY LET GO!" Zahra yelped, the woman grabbing hold of her and pulling her into the alley.

"Come on _little deity~_. I need your help with something," the woman grinned and pulled her away.

"NOOOOO! HERT NOOO!" Zahra cried out, being pulled away before anyone else could notice she went missing in the darkness of the alleyway.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

Daleel was humming to himself, making his way out of a tavern and through the crowds. The day was starting to come to a close, the sun setting in the sky. Luckily for him his meeting went swifter then he thought and he was able to jip the man a few extra coins for his service. In the meantime he had gone around to all the merchants he knew and asked for their inventory. There were a few here that had knives and other weapons to sell, but knowing Zahra she'd need more. He snorted under his breath and shook his head. She was asking more than he could truly give, but he had to try. Cyanae and he were trying to get back to Greece with guards and bandits on their tails. Luckily for him, his meeting was with a great thief in the area and all he had to worry about was the pharaoh's guards and tax collectors.

Following the crowd and avoiding the main streets as possible he came close to the end of town, finding Cyanae dancing away in a light dress that barely covered her at all. Once she saw him she ran as fast as she could, grabbing him a tight hug and beginning to bawl. "Cyanae wha –"

"I can't find Zahra!" she sobbed.

He stiffened, "Can't find her? What do you mean by that –"

"I-I don't know," she rubbed her an eye and took a few steps back. "Once minute she was next to me and the next she was gone."

"How about you tell me what happened?" he asked with a smile on his face.

Cyanae huffed. "We were out going for wine before I was needed here and we were stopped by nobles. So I bowed, but Zahra walked over to the wall and hid from them. Once they left I looked over to find she wasn't there and I started searching. I searched all day! A-and I had to get back, but what if someone kidnapped her –"

"Our Diana wouldn't let herself get kidnapped," he chuckled lightly. "She'll show up soon enough. Now how about you show me where the food is and you get back to your job?"

She rolled her eyes, "By the will of Zeus, Daleel. No wonder Zahra finds you repulsive."

Daleel chuckled and gave her a wink, moving away from her and walking through the wedding ceremony towards the food. As he made his way through the crowd he congratulated the couple and made a few jokes. He may not know most of them, honestly none of them, but as long as he acted like he was invited no one would care. Everyone was having too much fun and too drunk to notice, which made things easier for him. Once he got to the food he grabbed as much as he could carry with a large cup of beer and began to stumble back to where the entertainment was. Then a familiar person caught his eye, Daleel laughing as he sat down next to the man and gave him a pat on the back. "You know this couple Bakura?" he laughed heartedly.

"I'm just here for the food," he smirked as he casually sipped the cup of beer in his hand. "No one seems to mind who shows up and I doubt the guards will make their way this far from the center of town."

"I see," he grinned and munched greedily on his food. Daleel watched from the corner of his eye as a few more of the King of Thieves' men sat beside them, only a few accompanying him to wherever they were going.

"I trust you can get us our supplies by next month?" Bakura decided to ask, since the rest of his men were too infatuated by the women dancing about to listen to their conversation.

"If I can get out of Egypt that is," Daleel huffed. "If not I'll try to get someone else to do it…"

Bakura noticed Daleel's wandering gaze as he watched one of the dancers perform, a beautiful young woman with light brown hair pulled up behind her back and a brown with blue outfit tied around her body. When the woman looked at them she gave Daleel a wink with her eyes, the man almost dropping the food he had as her cerulean eyes locked onto his plain brown eyes. "It looks like you'll be getting laid tonight Daleel," Bakura chuckled.

"I hope so," Daleel smirked, "because I'd hate to have my wife running around with other men."

"Wife?" he raised an eyebrow, deciding to look at the woman again before glancing back at the man. "A very exquisite woman, I must say."

"Thanks," Daleel answered with a chuckle, "I only pick the best –" Their heads looked up to find yelling coming from the road, a young woman wearing a long flowing red with golden accented dress.

Daleel's eyes widened when he figured out who it was, Zahra jumping through the air to tackle Cyanae into the ground. "Thank the gods I found you!" Zahra mumbled under her breath as she squeezed Cyanae with an inhuman tight grip.

"My gods!" Cyanae laughed excitedly and hugged her back, "Where have you – What's with that getup?"

Zahra pouted and let go, sitting back on her knees to give Cyanae some space. "W-well this woman came up to me and told me I had to go into this temple and then someone grabbed me and made me wear this and now I escaped."

"… That's the oddest explanation I've ever heard," Cyanae huffed. "But don't scare me like that!"

"For the love of Ra," Zahra snorted, "I wasn't gone for long –"

"It was five hours!" Cyanae threw her arms up in the air.

Zahra looked at her stunned. "Oh?... Eh heh," she scratched her nose and stood up. "I-I thought I wasn't gone for that long…" Cyanae rolled her eyes as Zahra helped her to her feet, glancing over to Daleel before he threw his arms around her. "Ma'at, damn it!" she snarled, "I didn't die or something –"

"You are just the cutest thing!" Daleel laughed happily and swung her around a few times. Once he set her down on the ground Zahra only looked at him with a snarl on her face, growling at him as he took a step back and grinned. "You don't understand how this festival works, do you?"

"For the love of the gods, don't explain –"

"It's a festival to Hathor of course!" Daleel smirked. "The fact that they chose you is because you must look pregnant… or something along those lines –"

"Are you calling me fat?" Zahra yelled and shoved him backward, Daleel laughing as she only growled.

"_No~~ _–"

"Seriously are you two going to argue **again**?" Cyanae snorted. "You two are worse than cats and dogs."

"At least I'm not someone's bitch," Zahra pointed at Daleel as his eyes opened wide before glaring.

"I'm not a female –"

"Yeah well you're _**my~**_ bitch if we're going to get technical," Zahra smirked, her arms over her chest as she turned her body to glare back at him.

Daleel knew she was taunting him, luring him in so he'd lose his temper, but coming up with an idea he smirked. "I'll remember that," Daleel told her in a menacing tone, Cyanae's face starting to turn pale as Zahra triumphantly smirked.

"_Right~_" Zahra chuckled and tilted her head to the side, "and how'd you punish me, eh? Whip? Burning me perhaps?" Daleel stood with his back turned to her, debating how he'd answer her question. "_I'm waiting_ –"

"You're coming with me **tonight**," Daleel turned back suddenly with a wide grin plastered on his face, "and whether you like it or not you're going to sit in that party and just watch."

"Just –" Zahra's eyes widened, "Hey I'm not –"

"You're going and that's final," he snarled.

"But –"

"Daleel be reasonable –"

"Cyanae this isn't about you," he pointed with a smirk on his face, "it's about **her**. Besides you can't hide anymore Ranpu. You're… what at least twenty without a husband –"

"Damn it Daleel I'm not a palace harlot!" she growled at him. "How could you even suggest such a thing? You're disgusting! –"

"You don't go and I won't help you," he crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.

Zahra sighed and rolled her eyes pushing past him as she rushed over to the table full of food and began to grab as much as she could take. "You shouldn't do that," Cyanae responded, looking over at Daleel with a glare on her face as he smirked.

"I know she'll hate me," he chuckled, "but hey you're always bringing her by when I end up in those parties anyways."

"Just don't overexert yourself," Cyanae smirked as her fingers laced around his cloak as he eyed her suspiciously. "I want you to myself _later~_" Daleel quickly wiped his face as Cyanae giggled at him, flipping the end of her dress at him before she went back to dancing around in the middle of the party.

! #$%^&*()

Zahra sighed as she filled a cup full of bright red wine. Giving the idea a second thought she grabbed the whole bottle, drinking down the liquid as she grumbled under her breath and flung the jewelry to the ground. She may have told Cyanae what happened to her, but she didn't exactly say **everything**. Her eyes were darting around making sure no priests or priestesses, or even guards had followed her till she slumped next to a rock, watching the people dancing as she ate the food that she had one hand and sipped the bottle with the other.

_When she had woken up she felt a shroud had been lifted from her face, Zahra staring up groggily to eyes that had suddenly stared back at her. She pouted, noticing the priestesses wandering over to her and beginning to speak to her. "Damn it Hert," Zahra grumbled under her breath, knowing that the women didn't know what she said as she was set upright on the bed. She felt as if she was still in a dream as the women clothed her in long red robes and gold jewelry. They were giving her the upmost reverence, assuming she was the goddess Hathor in the flesh. She sighed. That goddess only did this so she could go out and has fun, while leaving Zahra here stuck with a bunch of overly nervous chickens. Well she wasn't going to stand for this! She mumbled under her breath as she was set in front of a mirror. She checked herself over with a smirk. The red colors actually suited her, but she would have rather had just plain black, grays, and white. _

_Her hands moved to take off the large crown on her head. "My goddess you shouldn't –"_

"_Be quiet you insolent shrew," Zahra snorted at her and giving her a glare. "You have no right to question my ways." The priestesses gulped as the priestess in question quickly took a few steps back, Zahra trying to force the smirk that was growing on her face to subside as she went about her business. She took off the large crown, it was hurting her neck anyways, and replaced it with a red ribbon that she saw hanging tediously off to the side. She grabbed her necklace off of the counter and put it on, taking off anything that was in its way as she let it hang from her neck. She decided to slip most of the golden bangles and other tedious jewels from her arms, replacing them with silver snake bangles at her triceps. Then reluctantly she was forced to have those other golden bangles on, but she kept the snake bangles on her arms. Then she was presented before the priests and priestesses, Zahra trying to keep herself from rolling her eyes as they looked at her outfit, commenting on the silver that she was wearing and the crown she was refusing to wear. _

_The rest of the day was spent pleasing them, going about publicly as if she was an object and displaying herself to the crowd. She kept herself quiet, only nodding to the people in the crowd as she glared at her captors behind her. Zahra even noticed Hathor in the crowd a few times, her eyes narrowing with every wave and kiss and bow she had to do. During one of the processions she was able to bring her belongings with her, looking around for the right time to escape. Then she smirked, seeing a group of nobles passing by on litters. She quickly jumped onto the nearest litter, freaking out the nobles as she turned to the priestesses and laughed, "Don't meddle in my affairs you women~! My gods, this outfit is too tacky," she snorted and jumped onto the roof. "If you're looking for that goddess she's just hiding in the crowd like the rest of them. Perhaps you shouldn't be so bold and think you can control the gods, worthless slimes~" She leapt away and fled them, leaving the guards behind as she ran a few times around the town till she felt she lost them before heading back to the wedding that Zahra knew Daleel and Cyanae would be. _

She shook her head at the memory, looking up to find a woman coming towards her with a smirk on her face. Zahra snorted, noticing that she wasn't an old lady anymore, but a beautiful young maiden almost as old as herself. "What the gods woman?" Zahra snarled.

The other grinned, taking a few cautious steps towards Zahra before crossing her arms over her chest. "What? A goddess can't have fun at her own party?"

"You didn't have to drag me into this Hathor," Zahra snorted and looked away, gulping down the cup of wine before turning to sip on the bottle in her hand. "Damn, you gods thinking I'll come to your beckoning call –"

"You **are** a little one, so why not?" Hathor shrugged. "And besides I wanted to see what you'd do… almost what I'd expect from a daughter of Seth –"

"See that's the other thing," she huffed, "I have **nothing** to do with **that** god!"

"Fine I'll leave it be," she put her hands up in defense, "_if~_ you come with me and have some fun."

"Fun?" Zahra narrowed her eyes, "What do you mean by tha –"

She let out a yelp as a cape flew over her body, Hathor laughing with glee as she revealed Zahra's clothes changing from the red and gold outfit to one of green, black, and silver. She wore a green and black bra with matching panties, thin green and black cloth creating a long dress with a slit on the left side. The silver snake bangles and her necklace was all that stayed as the gold on her body disappeared and changed to silver jewelry. Silver coins and tassels lined her outfit, illuminating her in a green and silver glow. Zahra quickly looked down at her hands, making sure something was covering her wounds as Hathor smirked at her. "Don't worry about it," she chuckled as she wrapped a thin black cloth over Zahra and pulled her close to her, "just has some fun little thief."

Zahra pouted as the woman let go, letting the cloth flutter onto her shoulders as Zahra shook her head. Hathor gave her a slight wave as her clothes quickly turned into a skimpy red and golden dress, a red bra and a matching skirt with gold lining around her clothes. At first glance you would think she was a goddess, and you would surprisingly be right as she made her way into the center of the celebration and began to dance. As Hathor spun she'd glance over at Zahra with a suggested nod, Zahra glaring back at her trying to tell her no. Though she had to admit she did look hot, looking at her clothing with another glance as she pointed her toes in the sand, and everyone, even Cyanae, seemed to be having a lot fun. "I suppose…" she sighed, scratching her arm uncomfortably and walking over. She looked down and smiled at her wound was actually being hidden by the dress, the cloth lining around her waist and hiding the stab wound in her side. Understanding this, Zahra happily made her way into the middle of the commotion, dancing around with Cyanae before spinning around to Hathor and silently challenging her to a dance-off.

! #$%^&*()

Daleel's eyes practically fell out of their sockets, watching Cyanae and Zahra dancing together in sync. The setting sun glistened against Zahra's skin, making her illuminate as she twirled the black cloth around her. Her hips swayed to the beat and her body created a motion unlike anything he thought he'd ever seen, his mouth dropping as she danced over to Hathor and they began to dance together in the same way. "You look like you're drooling," Cyanae snorted at him with her arms crossed.

"Hey you're the one who wanted her to dance," Daleel looked up at his wife and smirked, "I'm just _enjoying~_ it."

"Whatever," Cyanae rolled her eyes and looked over at the man sitting next to him, noticing his white hair and dark purple eyes. "Who are you?"

"I'm –"

"He's a client," Daleel smirked at Cyanae, "and now if you'll excuse me I'm getting some more food."

In a flash he left the scene, the woman shaking her head as she sat next to the other man. "So I noticed you were **also** staring your disgusting eyes at my Ranpu," Cyanae huffed.

"Yours?" Bakura raised an eyebrow, turning his head back to the entertainment and letting out a rough grunt. "You don't look related."

"We're not," Cyanae snorted and stretched out her legs, "but we're practically family. Daleel's mainly the one who watched her since he found her in Greece. I just supervise. Plus I noticed that look in your eyes. You were thinking of neking her, aren't you?"

Bakura shrugged, "I don't really care woman. Now if you're going to lecture me perhaps you should keep your tongue in your mouth before I cut it off for you."

"_Harsh~_" Cyanae rolled her eyes, deciding to let the man be as she stood up and dashed over to Daleel as he made his way back. The man shook his head, looking back over at the women.

It wasn't as if he was thinking about the sport, but he was only trying to figure out who that woman was. Yes, Ranpu, he recalled he had met her the other night. Bakura began to wonder about this woman, why he was suddenly taking an interest in her. It was probably because of the way she moved her hips, the black cloth fluttering behind her as she shook her waist in such a way that he'd think she was part snake. Even the woman dressed in red had trouble keeping up with her, a smirk coming to his face when he noticed the woman's smile. Her bright jaded green eyes seemed to sparkle as she danced, which was another reason why he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Then he raised an eyebrow, suddenly noticing foreign words coming out of the woman's mouth. "Hathor I'm beating you," Zahra chuckled happily.

"I didn't know this was a competition," Hathor smirked back, enjoying the laughter coming from the other woman's mouth as she shook her hips and bumped her in the rump.

"Perhaps you should pay attention," Zahra grinned, "because I plan on winning."

"Not if I win first!" Hathor chuckled, pressing a hand against a random man's chest as his eyes widened at her sudden hands.

Zahra pouted, "That's cheating!" she huffed.

Hathor laughed, "You never said what the rules were, little mortal –"

"Fine have it _**your~ **_way," Zahra snorted and stepped away, taking long strides as she made her way to the other side of a large pit of fire that was continuing to grow by the second. Hathor raised an eyebrow as her hands let go of the man, letting him flutter down and pass out on the ground as she stared and watched what Zahra would do. Zahra let out a large sigh, concentrating as she closed her eyes and folded her hands in front of herself. Then the music began to play again, this time less upbeat and more mystifying. She began to hum to herself, her hips beginning to sway to the sound of a small drum playing in the background of a small percussion of string instruments. Her hips swayed to the beat, her movements slow and sharp. She opened her eyes to the woman tempting her in, the black cloth flowing behind her as she fluttered it behind her. Hathor smirked. She looked like a serpent, her body swaying as she grinned at Hathor and threw the cloth into the crowd. Her hands moved up to the sky, up to the stars that began to appear in the blue and purple sky and splashed the air in her face. Then she began to dance, circling around the fire and entraining the crowd as she did. Hathor chuckled, following after her as they competed for the appeals of the crowd right into the night.

Daleel and Cyanae couldn't help but smile, seeing the bright smile on Zahra's face as she laughed and the sparkle in her jaded green eyes as she taunted the other woman. In the back of their minds they knew that other woman must have been a goddess of sorts because Zahra had a knack for luring creatures like them into their presence, but to see her so happy also brought them some happiness. "I hope she stays with us for a while," Cyanae sighed with longing in her voice.

"Well don't expect her to," Daleel pouted slightly, "she has her own life to live."

"I know," she responded as she set her head on his shoulder and clasped their hands together, "but I'm glad she's enjoying herself… Will you be able to help her?"

"As much as I can," Daleel smirked. "After all she **did** save my life more than once. It's about time I return the favor again."

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: and… there's where I end! X3 Now let's see what happens next, huh? I had a lot of fun writing this. I would have added more things to this, but I felt that was unnecessary for now. Anyways I hope you've enjoyed this. I hope the descriptions were enough for you guys… I felt a bit repetitive when I was talking about the dancing scenes and the clothing. Oh well. SEE YOU LATER! =3**

Nub-Em-Het – Egyptian – gold of heart

Hathor – Egyptian – goddess; this heavenly cow's areas of influence included music, dancing, joy, and fertility. Her name translates as "house of Horus". Alternate names: Hert, Hetheru, Mehturt, Mehurt, Mehet-Weret, and Mehet-uret


	12. The Upsetting Reality

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! So, once again, I don't want to work on homework or study so I'm going to review this chapter ^^ Plus I think it's about time for a new one and since no one else I'm viewing has posted anything I'll post this! So… yeah… I hope you enjoy this! Oh! And thank you to everyone who's reviewed and/or is starting to follow me. THANK YOU! Now if you have questions or comments don't be afraid to review =3… And there's also a reason why it's rated M, by the way. Just be ready for blood, gore, indecency,… sex,… and anything else I suppose ^^; Okay. I think that's it. ENJOY!**

! #$%^&*()

The party lasted well into the night and even the rest of the next day. Zahra and Hathor didn't stop or rest, dancing and partying as people came and gone throughout the day. It wasn't till a couple of days later that the wedding celebration had began to cease, indicating that the party was over and the people were going to go off to a different place to have fun in the town. After all the celebration for the goddess, Hathor, would continue for a few more days. Zahra's wrists intertwined with each other as she danced around the fire, Hathor dancing along with her before letting out a tired sigh. "Okay mortal you win," she pouted. "I can't seem to keep up."

"Great," Zahra chuckled happily and poked the goddess' shoulder. "The party is coming to a close anyways. The dancers are going to go down to the river to bathe and cool off, but maybe I'll just watch."

"Why?" Hathor tilted her head to the side.

"Meh," Zahra shrugged, "I don't want to end up getting raped or something. You throw some wild parties Hathor. I'll give you that."

"I know I do," Hathor winked at her, "but it's time I take my leave. It was great to see a daughter of – … Well it was great seeing you Zahra-Sutekh."

"Same to you Hathor," Zahra nodded, watching the woman leave as she let out a sigh and turned away. The area around her wasn't yet vacant, but the main party was going on in the center of town. Daleel and Cyanae had gone off with the other performers to the river and Zahra decided it would be best to see how they were doing, quickly getting disgusted by the sight she saw. Quickly averting her eyes from the river and ignoring the blush that formed on her cheeks she looked around for a different spot, noticing where the water was coming from and following the source.

Zahra took her time as she climbed up the rocks, going deep into the wilderness and following the trickle of water. If she was going to bathe she would do so in private, since she never liked bathing in front of others unless she was forced to. Besides Daleel and Cyanae were so drunk they wouldn't notice that she left, a smirk coming to her face as she came across a waterfall in the middle of the trees. She wondered if anyone from the town knew this was here, seeing that everyone must be in the town partying instead of out here enjoying nature. Zahra sighed, walking down to the water and letting her feet soak into the water. She grinned, the cool water pressing into her feet, causing her to close her eyes and listen to the world around her. Only the faint sound of dancing and singing could be heard, Zahra understanding she was now far away from the others. She would rather be away, honestly, since she liked keeping to herself and sitting around alone. After all she has been on her own for years. She didn't mind company, but Zahra liked being alone too.

She decided to slip off her clothes and walked deeper into the water, wading over to the waterfall and letting the water fall down her hair and trickle down her face. She smiled with a content look on her face, sighing as she looked up to the moon and the stars twinkling overhead. Suddenly she heard snarling, glancing over at a tree as a large wild dog stepped out a view, shaggy and untamed black fur with bright olive eyes staring at the tree as he backed away. Zahra smirked, whistling at the dog as he looked over before retreating backward towards the lagoon. "Hey boy," she chuckled as she walked over to the dog, trying to get him to look away from the tree and over to her, "I haven't seen you in a few years. How are you old friend?"At his master's words he looked up and licked her, Zahra giggling as the dog jumped up and rubbed her face. "I missed you too Amasa," she smiled, her smile waning when the dog jumped back down and continued to growl at the figure behind the tree.

Squinting Zahra was able to see the outline of a figure, grinning as she patted the dog on the head and wandered back into the middle of the lagoon. "Could you tell your dog to stop growling at me?" a gruff voice came from behind the tree.

Zahra chuckled. "Amasa heel," she told him, the dog yelping slightly at his master's command before sitting down contently at the edge of the water. He continued to stare as the figure emerged from behind the tree, the man walking over and keeping his distance from the dog as he walked over to the other side of the lagoon. "So Bakura, what are you doing around these parts?" she decided to ask.

"Same reason you are," he smirked, about to step into the water when Amasa growled at him. Bakura glared at the dog, taking a few steps back to keep the dog silent as he stood uncomfortably at the edge.

"Why are you here?" she asked him again, this time in a serious tone as she kept her back to him.

"I saw you wander off and I wondered where you were going," he shrugged. "You had quite a performance today –"

"Thank you –"

"And I _also~_ noticed you can speak the language of the gods." Zahra paused, turning her head to him and giving him a glare.

She huffed, turning her back as she noticed the smug look on his face as she continued to get the dust and sand out of her hair. "So what? And how do you know about that –"

"I know the language too, if you don't mind me commenting." Bakura sat down, sitting in the untamed grass growing beside the lagoon and crossing his legs one on top of the other.

"So… how?" Zahra said is a quieter tone. "Ummm… you must know who that other woman was, huh?"

"Yep," Bakura chuckled. "I figured that goddess, Hathor, would show up to her own festivities –"

"And drag me into them," Zahra snarled slightly. "I mean **seriously**, I had to go around town dressed up like a pansy and miss out on the party. No wonder she pulled me out of the crowd to take her place! And I couldn't even get a drink of wine for the day! Damn priestesses –"

She paused, hearing his laugh from the other side of lagoon. Noticing he was only laughing to her criticism as if it was a joke she smirked, scrubbing her hair before turning around. "You hate the priestesses?" Bakura smirked.

"Yes… and no," Zahra shrugged. "Just… I don't practically like authority, unless it's needed. Sure you need leaders to keep people in line, but sometimes all everyone needs is freedom and time to themselves. Plus I've meet plenty of nobles who think high and mighty about themselves and are as low as scum. I wouldn't be surprised if most of them ended up being eaten by Ammit before they're even dead," she snorted.

"So… does this mean you hate the pharaoh?" he asked with curiosity in his voice.

Zahra paused, dipping her body into the water before she let out another sigh and ringed the water from her hair. "I dislike him, I don't hate him. Depends on the man. He's a nice man, but has ordered bad things and I'd rather see him burn then continue to live." She looked over at Bakura, wondering what he was thinking as he only stared at her before his gaze wandered to the waterfall and she huffed. She walked over to her bag and wiped her body with a long piece of warm cloth, replacing her bandages as she looked to the woods. Zahra tried to avoid his gaze when he noticed she wasn't looking at him anymore, wondering if he'd get suspicious about the wound on her side. She quickly wrapped her side and her right hand before slipping a simple white dress on, huffing as she sat down and wrapped the clothes Hathor had given her in the long cloth and place it back into her bag. Since the clothes didn't disappear she'll just sell it for a profit, perhaps giving it to Daleel or something. Zahra glanced over at him, glancing away and starting to feel uncomfortable with his lengthy stare. She smiled when Amasa walked over to her, sitting down next to her side and continuing to stare at Bakura as if he was some sort of threat. "… Though I'll just say it, once again, depends on the man. I don't mind kings and rulers, but even the greatest of men do horrible things in their lives. It just some are more severe than others."

"… I see…" was all Bakura said, starting to glare at her.

"Ummm… is there something wrong –"

"Where did you get that wound?" he asked, pointing to her side and glancing at her with a tinge of anger in his eyes.

Zahra glared back, "None of your business –"

"You've been playing with me aren't you?" Bakura understood, standing up suddenly as Amasa jumped to his feet and growled. He looked down at the creature with a glare, paying him no heed as he took a few steps towards Zahra. "**Tell me**. Where. Did. You. Get. That. Wound?"

She could feel the anger coming from his body, sighing as she stood up and brushed the dust from her clothes. "Look, what do you think of me? A woman? A thief? A goddess now that you know I can speak to gods? Just what exactly?" She tilted her head to the side, "Because I'm not going to tell you anything if you're just going to try to kill me or give me a hard time –"

"I am the King of Thieves woman," he told her with a growl, "and it seems to me you already knew that. I can tell. If you wish for me to leave your two friends alone I suggest you tell me **what** you are."

"… If I tell you that, even if you dislike the answer, will your promise to leave Daleel and Cyanae alone?" Zahra glared back, "Because this is between **you and me**, not them. If you call yourself any sort of king you should have some honor in keeping your word."

"I promise on everything I stand that this is between you and me," he told her, "**now talk**."

Zahra paused, looking down to the ground and trying to collect herself. "… Well I told you I'm a thief already," she shrugged, "and I'm just human like everyone else. Though I can speak to the gods, that's really it –"

"What about the scar?" he asked, "Where did you get it?"

She knew he was just playing her now, just wanting her to tell him who she really was. "… When I was leaving a pyramid –"

"I knew it!" Bakura snarled and attacked her, grabbing hold of her shirt and pulling her off of the ground. Amasa attacked his leg and was kicked aside by Bakura, but Amasa continued to attack him and sank his teeth into his skin.

That was enough for Bakura to let go of her, his attention going to the dog as he grabbed his mouth and pried him off of him. "Amasa **stop**," Zahra ordered in a stern voice, the dog letting the man pry him away as he took a few steps back and glared. They looked at each other, angry amethyst eyes glaring into weary jaded green eyes. "Kill me if you must, but do it now then later."

"I won't give you the satisfaction of killing you," he snarled.

Zahra shrugged, pulling the necklace around her neck and throwing it at the man. "Then take this," she told him, "because that's the only thing that I stole, which I kept."

Bakura looked down at the necklace, throwing the necklace to the ground and pressing his foot on it. "That's not –"

"Then what do you want?" she huffed. "An apology? My life? You just happen to lose once. It doesn't mean you'll lose again –"

She stopped when he let out a snort, looking over at the snarling dog before glancing back at Zahra. Her eyes slowly wandered to his leg, noticing the blood that was coming out. "… Just what are you?" he asked again, his voice becoming as calm as he could make it. "Answer me this and I'll leave you alone."

"… Look up the Skia Diana," Zahra told him, "and if you don't know who that is then the Shadow Huntress." She threw her container of ointment at him and he caught it with one hand, looking at the container confused as she nodded to the dog and he loyally followed.

Bakura looked up, noticing the woman beginning to leave the lagoon and wander back into the woods. "… Wait," he told her, throwing the necklace back to her. She eyed him suspiciously as she caught the item, the man turning his back on them and leaving back towards the town. Zahra huffed, turning her back and slipping the necklace around her neck as she walked into the woods and they parted ways.

She felt weary after that encounter, but yet she didn't regret it. After all now the man knew who she was. It was only a matter of time for hunters and bandits to come by to either ask for her help or try to capture her. Zahra hoped he wouldn't tell anyone about her, but she knew her wishful thinking wouldn't help. The man probably would. Letting Amasa lead he led her through the woods and around the forest, the two of them were keeping silent as she kept her mind on other matters.

! #$%^&*()

Bakura was grumbling under his breath, emerging from the woods and spotting Daleel. Just as he was walking over to him he was quickly stopped by Naeem. "Yo'h Bakura! We were thinking of –"

"Shut up Naeem," he snarled and continued to walk towards the water.

Naeem raised an eyebrow, noticing the anger in Bakura's eyes. "Hey Kura is everything okay –"

"Everything is **not** okay Naeem," he growled, looking over at Daleel one last time before averting his eyes and rubbing his head. "Just… what is it Naeem?"

"_Wow~_" Naeem rolled his eyes, "anyways the men were going to party over on the other side of town. I know you want to leave tomorrow, but would that be alright –"

"That's fine Naeem," Bakura huffed with his arms crossed.

Naeem could see that Bakura was angry about something, but couldn't really tell what it was. "… Are you okay –"

" Naeem I'm just fine," he glared, "and you're lucky I don't strike you down."

"Fine," he huffed and shrugged, "I just wanted to tell you. See you in the morning Bakura."

"Goodbye Naeem," Bakura simply answered back. He watched as his comrade left him standing there, at the edge of the water and staring off at the dancers. He sighed, turning his back on them and walking back towards the town. He'll keep to his promise, just this once, but he wanted to speak to Daleel and pay less for his services. Not only because he realized who Ranpu is, but also because he knew the man was overcharging him. Besides he's a man of his word and he could use the chance to ask him who this Skia Diana is. The man must know, for Ranpu to be with him that is. He nodded to himself as he walked into town, looking around for a tavern so he could get drunk and perhaps find a feisty young woman for the night.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

_A young girl with long black hair wearing a few silver pieces on her body ran through the streets, laughing happily as she ran away from a group of children. There was a silver band was around her waist with a blue and white stripped cloth hanging in front of her legs. She had a band of silver around her muscles on her upper and lower arms. She giggled as she ran, her white dress flowing behind her and her white shoes creating dust as she hustled. Suddenly she was pin to the ground, a pup of a dog jumping on her back and shoving her into the sand. "Amasa!" she laughed as she tried to push the black dog's tongue away from her face, "Stop tha – ahHAHAAH! Mosi stop!" _

"_Hah got you!" a young boy laughed triumphantly, tickling her sides as the dog sat down on her chest. _

"_Amasa, tickle attack," came a voice from behind them, the dog instantly obeying the voice and jumping onto the bright blonde's chest. _

_The boy laughed as the dog stood on his chest and licked his face, the girl laughing happily as the other boy helped her off and she brushed off the dust from her clothes. "Thanks Ak," she giggled happily and whistled over to the dog. Amasa looked up his head and listened to her call, stepping off of the boy and following his master as they left the boy in the middle of the street. "Took you long enough to wake up."_

"_Eh, I was busy actually," Ak chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "By the way your father called for you."_

"_He did?" she pouted. "Oh poo. Well tell your family I said hi. Come Amasa. Let's get home." The dog woofed and followed behind her, Ak running a hand through the dog's head as he gave him a goodbye lick on the hand before wandering over to the girl. _

_The other boy pouted, cracking his back as he stumbled over to Ak. "Damn it," he snarled at the boy, "you did that on purpose."_

"_Well I won't let you go around attacking people," Ak snorted at him and turning to walk away._

"_Don't act all high and mighty to me Ak," he growled and caught up to him. Then a smirk grew on his face, "You love~ her don't you?"_

"_None of your business Mosi –"_

"_Hah! I doubt you'll get her! Zah isn't your type anyways –"_

"_Then who is?" Ak snorted. "Whatever Mosi. My father wants me home and from the looks of things so does **your** father."_

"_He does?" Mosi gasped. "Why didn't you tell me? Hes Ak, you want to get me into trouble!" Ak laughed as the boy ran off, letting out a content sigh as he looked back to where Zah had walked away. Deciding it would be more fun to hang out with her family instead of with his own he turned around and walked over to the edge of town._

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_The young girl hummed her herself, her black hair tied up behind her head as she stared down at a dead body she was tending to. "Zahra you have a guest," came a deep voice from the other room. _

"_Yes abbi," Zah answered, grabbing a rag and quickly cleaning off her hands before opening the door and closing it behind her. "Ak hi! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you get home?"_

"_I uh –"_

"_You must excuse us boy," an older man smiled, rustling up the little boy's shaggy short white hair, "but a few of our comrades died today and we have to clean the bodies."_

"_T-that's alright," Ak shifted his body uncomfortably as Zah giggled at him, "I uhmmm… Well I don't have to get back in a while. Thought I'd stop by and say hello… sir."_

"_I see…" the man thought, shrugging as he turned around and walked to the door Zah came out of. "Zahra you be good now. Don't cause trouble."_

"_I'll try~~ not to," Zah giggled, her father chuckling lightly as he closed the door behind him. "Come on Ak. I'm off the hook," she grinned happily, the boy letting out a yelp as she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the building. The boy let her pull him along, the dog walking up beside them and following her around the graveyard and up the rocks. She sighed happily as she let go of Ak's hand, setting her head down on the rocks and watching the sun go down over the horizon. "… Ak did you have another reason for seeing me?"_

"_N-no I –"_

"_Come on now. I know you better than that," she smirked. "Is something on your mind or did you just want to see a few dead bodies?"_

"_I just wanted to tell you that… well…" he sighed, "my father told me I'll be having my coming-of-age ceremony on my upcoming birthday. I'm frightened about it."_

"_Why?" she asked him, running a hand over the dog's back as he curled up on her stomach and set his head down on Ak's chest. _

"_Well… you know the stories," he tried to explain, "about children disappearing and all that. We're presented directly to the gods Zah, and we're thieves… How can thieves like us actually find favor with the gods? I mean… sure I can speak in some weird language that no one else seems to know, but does that mean I'm cursed?"_

"… _No I don't think so," Zah told him. "Well… no. I hope that's not the case. You're a brilliant boy Ak. You shouldn't have any problems –"_

"_How can you be so sure?" he looked at her with unsure purple eyes._

_She cracked a smile, her jaded green eyes glistening into his own amethyst eyes before she let out a tired sigh and looked up to the sky. "Well… I don't know for sure, but I see no reason why they shouldn't. Besides I told you what they say to me… though no one seems to believe me except for my parents –"_

"_I believe Zah," he grinned, "and I think it's cool you can speak to the gods so casually. Hey, have they told you anything?"_

_She smirked, "Only about my future I suppose… and my father's work. Actually I usually hear Anubis' voice a lot. He tells me how to embalm the bodies properly for burial. Also I've heard once, 'Do not worry child. Every soul finds their way in the darkness. As long as you pray for them they will find their judgment accordingly. Trust me'."_

"_Really… trust them? How odd," Ak chuckled lightly. _

_Zah smirked, "Yeah well… whatever."_

"_Have you spoken to our god yet?" he decided to ask._

"… _No. Did he say something to you?" she asked him._

"'_Every road has its challenges. You, my boy, will walk down a long and torturous path. As long as you stay true to your goals you will succeed. Be brave, my boy'. And that's all I heard," he shrugged. "I don't know Zah. Sometimes I wonder what the gods want."_

"_So do I," she sighed, "but we'll figure it out and even if they don't need us we can be useful **here**. I like living here. It's so peaceful being out here in the middle of nowhere."_

"_So do I," he smirked. _

_He opened his mouth to stay something else, but was quickly interrupted to a high-pitched voice. "Aaaaaak, father wants you!" a younger girl called to him, huffing and puffing as she climbed up the rocks and stumbled over to them._

"_Dima don't do that," Ak pouted as he sat up, letting the dog move away as he stood to his feet and heledp brush the dirt from his little sister's dress. "I'm sorry. Our conversation is cut short –"_

"_No go. I don't want you to get into trouble," Zah smiled._

_Ak gave Dima a warning glance before he walked to the edge of the rocks, climbing down and leaving the girl at the top. She giggled. "Will you two get married?" she asked happily._

_Zah's eyes widened, smirking as Amasa walked over to the little girl and let her pet his head. "I don't know," she laughed slightly and stood up, "but why? Would you like that?"_

"_I like **you**!" Dima cheered, "And so does everyone else! You should spend the night at our house, older sister! Brother will like that, but he won't admit it –"_

"_I can still hear you Dima!" Ak called from the bottom of the rocks, glaring up at them as Zah smirked down at him. _

"_Well~ perhaps in the future," she smiled to the little girl, letting the dog lead them down the rocks as she carried Dima down. "We still have time to figure this all out, right Ak?"_

"_R-right," he chuckled nervously, grabbing his sister from Zah's arms and letting her set her head on his shoulder. "But the whole idea is rather silly –"_

"_Come on Ak! Just the other day you were saying –"_

"_**Enough Dima**," he pouted, his cheeks turning red as Zah giggled at him. "Well uh… let's get you home."_

"_Okay," Dima nodded and let the boy carry her away, Ak giving Zah a slight bow of his head before turning around and walking away._

_Zah let out a sigh, watching Ak leave as she ran a hand through Amasa's fur. "Come Amasa. I think abbi wants us to come back before it gets too dark." The dog shook his tail and let out a **'woof'**, Zah laughing as she led the way back to the building sitting in the middle of the cemetery and hidden away by a large mountain of rocks and sand. "That's right Amasa, I'll feed you when we get home," she told him with a **'growl'**, kneeling down and kissing his nose before walking back into the building and leaving the dog sitting loyally outside waiting for his masters to emerge from the murk-smelling structure._

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: Well what do you think? Yep, now Bakura hates her and she dislikes him… I guess XD I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. And if you guys have any OCs I still won't mind adding them in! I already wrote the description of OCs I'd be needing. So… yeah. It's a free for all right now ^^ SEE YOU LATER!**

Amasa – Hebrew – person who carries heavy burdens

Mosi – Swahili – the first born

Anubis – Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion. Anubis' name vocalized in Egyptian is Anapa. Anubis attends the weighing scale in the Afterlife during the "Weighing Of The Heart"

Dima – Arabic – downpour


	13. The Dull Dispute

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! Once again, thought it was about time to post another chapter… Well let me just say that this is mainly a story about an OC. Ummm… though yes there's Bakura in there, but not till later chapters does he get involved in the story more, for good or for bad XD Also I decided to rewrite the summary. The story has changed a bit more then what I had written down in the beginning… so yeah… Here's the summary I started off with since you'll be seeing it for one last time:**

_**A mysterious shadow appears in Egypt with an urgent letter. A thief encounters a woman whom reminds him of an old, deceased friend. Both seek a similar goal, the pharaoh's destruction. Are they alike than they wish to admit? TK BakuraXOC adult themes**_

**There we go! I hope you've been enjoying yourself so far. Right now I have four other chapters written out and only need to review them right now. If you have any ideas, questions, concerns, don't be afraid to comment me. I'm sorry if I'm late with my comments, but my life gets in the way sometimes. Now without further adieu, ENJOY!**

! #$%^&*()

Zahra blinked, groaning as she moved to her side and rubbed her eyes. She smiled to see Amasa sleeping next to her, slowly lifting her body off of the ground and looking over the edge of a large boulder she had apparently wandered onto that night. Noticing the sun starting to rise she smiled, gently running a hand through the dog's fur to wake him up. Once his olive eyes blinked he looked around confused before his eyes set on Zahra, panting, smiling, and wagging his tail happily at her grin. "Hey boy," she said quietly as she ran a hand through his head and cuffed his cheek, "You shouldn't have bitten that man. He wasn't going to hurt me." Thedog let out a whine, Zahra chuckling as she kissed his nose and pressed their foreheads together, "But thank you anyways. You helped me dream well last night." Noticing her enthusiastic answer the dog let out a playful _**'ruff'**_, Zahra smirking as she stood up and stretched her arms.

"It's about time I get back. You can come along if you wish, but I don't know where you live –" She paused, the dog letting out another _**'woof'**_ as she blinked in confusion. "Oh? You live in AmAuNet? You must be the wild dog pack everyone is so worried about," she chuckled lightly and rustled up his ears, "Good boy, good boy! You're the alpha right?" Amasa let out another _**'ruff'**_ and Zahra smirked, "That's right! You **are** a good boy! I'm so proud of you. How many pups?" Hearing him speak she nodded, "Oh I see… a few litters now. So you're the alpha and your wife is the alpha too. Hmmm… You had to step up and take the role. Well that's alright. Us Ranpus can stand up and fight when the time is right, but I don't see why you chose such a desolate place – Ah I see," she smirked at his answer, "You like desolate places like myself. I knew I would see you… No I want to leave again." Zahra let out a sigh and slipped her bag over her shoulder, letting the dog follow behind her as they continued to talk. "No it's just… I love you, but I can't stay here. Plus you know the gods… I… well when we get back to AmAuNet you can show me your family. Perhaps we can work out an agreement with the villagers? You help them and they help you?... Ah. Well, it's worth a shot."

She bent down and kissed the dog on the nose and he wagged his tail happily, Zahra chuckling as they continued through the woods. Spotting Daleel's caravan from the top of a ridge she slid down the side, the dog following after her as she stumbled and dashed to the camels. The camels quickly halted at the sight of the wild dog and Daleel snarled, not noticing Zahra until she slammed into the side of his seat. "Hey we were wondering when you'd show up –"

"Who's your friend?" Cyanae asked, noticing the black, haired dog standing beside Zahra as she ran her hand through the top of his head.

"His name's Amasa," Zahra smirked, "and he's my old pup. Now can we get in the back so we can leave?"

"Yeah whatever," Daleel huffed, Zahra giggling as she jumped into the back with the dog jumping in after her.

The dog sniffed Cyanae's hand, the woman chuckling nervously as he gently licked her hand. "Don't worry. He won't harm you if he knows you're not a threat to me," Zahra told her.

"So we have a new comrade?" Cyanae smiled to Zahra. "How did you meet?"

"Just woke up one day and he was sniffing at me," Zahra explained. "Amasa never left me since. I think he may have come from my old home, but he won't lead me there. Every time I ask he thinks it's unsafe for me to go and refuses to show me the way. Well that's alright. He's been with me even when I couldn't talk, so he's like family to me."

"I see," Cyanae grinned to her, letting the dog set his head down on her lap as they sat in the covered wagon. "Where were you last night? I thought we lost track of you or you ran off again."

"I wanted to take a bath away from everyone else," Zahra told her, "and I ran into Amasa there. Then we fell asleep in the woods and woke up just a few moments ago." Reminding herself of the dance clothes Hathor gave her Zahra took them out of her bag and hung them up in the wagon, and then grabbing a long random black cloak from a pile and wrapping it around her neck. "I seem to have odd dreams now."

"Oh?" Cyanae asked as the other sat back down, "How so?"

"I **actually** have dreams," she chuckled lightly and rubbed the back of her head, "and they're not scary at all. Sure I've had dreams before, but never so many over and over again. Just last night I had a dream with Amasa in them. It was… interesting, but I'm waiting for a nightmare to come back… Just waiting…"

"Perhaps it's a good sign," Cyanae smiled to her, "isn't that right Daleel?"

"Yeah!" he yelled to the back. "Must be! Say Zahra the strangest thing happened this morning."

"Oh?" Zahra asked him. "What?"

"Well I was packing everything like I always do and when I came back into the tavern the Thief King, Bakura, wanted to take to me." Zahra quickly turned her attention to him, the dog snapping his head up and noticing the unnerving feeling coming from his master. "He bought me a drink and told me to sit down. He had a nasty bite on his leg that had some goo on it, but I didn't say anything about it," he chuckled. "He wanted to me to charge less for the supplies I was selling him, but after _proper~_ negotiation I complied –"

"He held a knife up to your neck didn't he?" Zahra smirked.

"No," Daleel shook his head, "it was to my chest, but oddly enough, after I lowered my price the man also wanted to know what the Skia Diana is."

"You **told** him?" Cyanae's mouth practically dropped. "Daleel! –"

"Now hold your horses," Daleel held up his hand and chuckled lightly. "I told him I didn't really know about her, but I heard tales. So I told him the basic things, like how you sneak in the middle of the night and steal things from nobles' houses. Also that you hand over your earnings to the poor and keep only a small percentage for yourself. That's really it. I didn't tell him if you were a male or female, wore a black cloak and only show your bright green eyes, but he was fine with my answer… Oh! And I told him that you were centered in Greece and even went to Italy, since that's where your name originated from anyways. Was that alright?"

"Y-yes Daleel," Zahra sighed and set her head down on the wooden floor, letting out a relieved sigh, "I thought he was going to kill or threaten you."

"Why would he do that?" Daleel asked.

"Well… it's a long story –"

"Did you meet him last night or something?" Daleel chuckled lightly, "Because I saw him wandering in the direction you had escaped in. He must have run into you."

"Yes," Zahra snorted in disgust, "thanks for the help Daleel."

"Oh I would have helped, but I was preoccupied," he laughed. "Now you two girls have time to sleep. We won't get to the next town in another day or two."

"Say Daleel how long will this take?" Zahra asked him, "Because I need to get back and help –"

"Give me a few more days and we'll have your army equipped with the weapons they need," Daleel told her, "you have my word."

Zahra smirked, "Thank you!"

"Hey you're my baby girl, kid. It's my responsibility to help you if you ask," he winked at her, Zahra shaking her head, and then closing her eyes as Cyanae shook her head and laughed. Cyanae sighed as she ran a hand through Zahra's hair, smirking when she noticed the tiny grin that Zahra was trying to hide away on her lips.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

The trio sighed, their heads on top of each other as Amasa set his head lazily on Zahra's chest and his body sprawled out on the other two bodies. "… Thank you again for all of this," Zahra said to the couple, opening her eyes and glancing over at them. "You didn't have to do any of this, but you did."

"Hey we're practically family Zahra," Daleel grinned at her, "and we would **never** not help you if you needed us."

"That's right," Cyanae smiled to her, "and we owe you our lives too."

"So what's the plan?" Zahra asked them, "Now that we have the weapons and you, Daleel, will get your money. Are you staying or will you go and wait for me to be done?"

"… Stay," he told her. "We'll stay in AmAuNet till you're done."

"Who exactly is chasing you?" Zahra asked, "Because from what you two have been saying they don't seem friendly… or human."

"I think it's a sorcerer," Daleel to her, "or a man with a god on his side. We can't really tell. All I know is that he summons monsters from the dark, like you do, and uses them for his biding. That's why I think you can help us."

"Well if we come across him I'll help you," Zahra nodded, "and if not I'll leave with you to Greece."

"Will your dog –"

"He has family here," she told them, "and he'd rather stay. Besides this is Amasa's home. He has no reason to continue to follow me till his death."

"Once a loner always a loner huh?" Daleel laughed.

"Well we'll take care of you till we get to Greece," Cyanae told her, "and afterwards you can plan where you want to go."

"Thanks guys," she sighed and closed her eyes, "for everything –"

"Okay enough of this mushy stuff!" Daleel snorted and shifted off of the floor, pushing the dog off of his stomach and standing up. "There are more things to do before we head back tomorrow. Cyanae it's about time you go help in that kitchen you were talking about. Zahra you can go help her, and dog… uh… just don't poo on anyone."

"Whatever Daleel!" Zahra laughed, throwing a random object at him as he yelped and shielded his face. They all laughed as Amasa woofed and jump off of the women, letting them get up as Daleel ran out of the room. Zahra stretched and cracked her back, letting out a yawn before walking over to a table and gulping down a cup full of water. "Okay Cyanae. You'll have to show me the way."

"Of course," Cyanae smiled, watching as Zahra slipped several weapons under her clothes and in her bag before slinging the item over her shoulder. She then wrapped her cloak over her neck, setting the hood over her face and rewrapping her right hand before following Cyanae out of the room. Amasa disappeared in his own way, jumping out of the open window and down on a few crates before making his way to the bottom. He watched from an open window as he smelt the food cooking, his mouth watering as he watched Zahra and Cyanae walk into the room and greet the other women in the kitchen. Amasa let out a whine until Zahra looked over and gave him a wink, the dog panting happily before curling up on the dirt next to the wall and listening into the room with his canine senses. Zahra smiled at the dog and set her stuff down at the door, slipping her cloak off and setting it down on top of her bag before helping Cyanae with the cooking.

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! #$%^&*()

"Npu we need more chicken –"

"Yeah it's almost done!" Zahra yelled, flipping the chicken and setting another tray of meat out on the counter for the other women to grab. She let out a sigh as she wiped her brow, looking over at Amasa before giving him a wink and throwing a sliver of meat out the window.

Cyanae shook her head and chuckled, grabbing the large fork out of Zahra's hand before she could stab it into the meat. "Saw that," she chuckled at the woman.

"Cya –"

"Why don't you serve a bit? There's so much sweat coming down your brow and I'm worried you'll pass out soon," she smirked.

"I can take care of myself!" Zahra snorted, but she obeyed as she grabbed random items and walked out into the open bar. They were in a tavern today and were serving the people, mostly men, whom came by for a warm meal. Ignoring a few of the whistles that she heard as she slipped out of the kitchen Zahra set the supplies down, quickly pouring soup into cups and handing them off to a few men before rushing back into the kitchen.

Once she came back out she glared at the men, a few of them letting out a fearful yelp and others laughing at her stubbornness as she ignored them and served them their food. "Dang, you would think a good looking girl like yourself would be out in the bar or something," a woman much older than herself winked beside her.

"I'm not the sort of gal who goes about looking for a good nek," Zahra told her as she set chicken down on a plate before wiping her brow.

"… My dear you look tired. Is something the matter –"

"Just working hard," Zahra chuckled lightly. "Can't eat if you don't work hard."

"How odd," the woman thought aloud, Zahra ignoring her and setting the chicken down on someone's plate. "… Are you married?"

"Nope," Zahra quickly answered.

"Are you –"

"I'm not married, still a virgin, and I'm not looking for anyone **okay**?" she huffed sharply. "And no, I'm not interested in your son or in your grandson. Please let me do my work –"

"Hey there!" they heard from the other end of the tavern, Daleel running over covered in sweat as Zahra raised an eyebrow. "Get Cyanae. I need to speak to her."

Zahra nodded and dashed into the back, telling Cyanae that Daleel appeared out of nowhere and she walked into the front of the bar. "Is something wrong –"

"I have the wagon set up and ready to go," Daleel told her. "Let's get going –"

"Hang on," she snorted, "I'm not leaving till I'm finished and get my pay –"

"Cy don't argue –"

"Daleel what's the rush! –"

"Hey guys, how about you have your conversation out back?" Zahra told them, pushing Cyanae to the other side of the long table and shoving them out a back door. She kept the door cracked as she heard yelling, sighing as Zahra had her back against the wall and listened to their conversation. "Damn it Daleel, did you get in trouble _again~_?" Zahra shook her head and sighed, looking around the room at the men sitting around the tables and having their fill.

She knew from experience that every tavern was different and every bar had their own unique way of running things, or the owners hoped it was that way. Zahra just hoped no one would notice her, making sure all the men in the room didn't know her and the women weren't looking around with hateful or intrigued eyes. Suddenly her eyes snapped into contact with another, the man standing up as he smirked and wrapped his large burly brown cloak around his body as he walked over to her. "Ranpu it's been a while," he chuckled lightly.

"Hey Fazi," she smirked, "what are you doing here?"

He noticed the nervous look in her eyes as she scanned the room again, trying to figure out if anyone else was in the room with him. "My friends are just going to meet in this tavern tonight and I thought I'd get here early for the food. I see you escaped."

"Sort of," she shrugged, "but anyways how are you? Did you deliver you messages yet?"

"Not yet," he told her, "and I'll be doing so tonight when my leader shows up –"

"Fazi, Bakura's here," came a voice behind him, the man turning around and giving him a nod.

"Alright G – Hey, Ranpu, where did you go?" he looked around, noticing the woman had vanished out of thin air.

The man behind him chuckled. "She ran away from you," he laughed, Fazi letting out a snort and following behind as they made their way back to the corner of the busy tavern. There Bakura sat; his white hood over his face as he had his arms crossed over his chest and hid his eyes from view. "Here's the man that hadn't shown up in Hierakonpolis," the man told him, leaving Fazi as he nodded a thank you before sitting across from Bakura.

"Sorry sir," Fazi told him, placing his hands on top of the table, "but I ran into some trouble –"

"I don't need those details Fazi," Bakura told him. "Now can you answer my questions?"

"Of course," Fazi nodded.

"First off," Bakura began bluntly, "how many men were captured and who are they?"

"Baruti, Sebek, and Maskini," Fazi told him. "Baruti kept quiet and never said anything about our unknown locations, but Sebek cracked. Sebek told them about our hidden hideout in Khshairsha, but before he could say anything else Chigaru slit his throat," Fazi smirked. "The poor fool didn't see it coming. He was set in prison and since Chigaru was under his charge he killed the idiot. He pinned the blame on some intruder, but that's all the pharaoh found out about us. Maskini was hysterical, but didn't say much. He didn't talk about our plans or the hideout, and was still caught up on the mysterious woman that had showed up at the pyramid. The same with Baruti. It seems that the pharaoh wanted to find out about the other thief, not so much our plans." Then Fazi sighed, "And Chigaru calmed Maskini down before he could blurt out anything else."

"Poor lad," Bakura chuckled lightly, "He's so new to this game. Perhaps he'll learn something from Baruti about this."

"Perhaps," Fazi nodded.

"Now how's Chigaru doing and what's the pharaoh's plans?" he continued.

"The pharaoh is an old fart," Fazi snorted, "and is only thinking about the kingdom he'll be handing over to his son. The Crown Prince Atem won't be much of a threat… for now. The pyramid was set up to trap you, but I see you foiled their plans." He chuckled lightly, "But anyways the pharaoh is still looking for us. He doesn't suspect the men who are working within his own walls. Chigaru told me he'll try to keep you updated on any other information, but for now that's all he knows."

"I see…" Bakura nodded. "… Is the young prince reproducing yet?"

"Not quite," Fazi told him, "and it won't be for a few more years. He's been sleeping around, but no woman has gotten pregnant from him yet. Once he's pharaoh he'll probably try out a priestess."

"Well it looks the kingdom is falling into ruins," Bakura smirked and stood up, "but now all we have to do is wait."

"Exactly," Fazi nodded and followed pursuit. "As soon as tensions die down we can strike. That may be for another few months."

"We have time," Bakura told him, "and right now we can get by with only stealing a few items here and there. Go to the troops in Oxyrhynchus and tell them to raid a few more towns in the area… and find out what you know about the Skia Diana. Report back to me in a month or two."

"Yes sir," Fazi bobbed his head, turning to the door and quickly leaving. In a few moments Bakura followed pursuit, noticing that Fazi had stopped in the middle of the street completely horrified.

"What's wrong lad?" Bakura smirked at the man, his smile waning as he noticed a shadowy creature jumping overhead with a cloaked person jumping after it.

! #$%^&*()

Zahra let out a breath of air, Daleel and Cyanae looking at her confused before going back to their argument. It was a close call, she quickly realized as Amasa walked up to her and rubbed his nose into her hand. Even if they haven't seen each other in years Amasa remembered everything about Zahra, especially when she was worried or depressed. He hoped his master will smile again, nudging her leg trying to get her attention. Zahra's eyes were still on the door, walking over and leaving the dog behind to look through and notice no one had followed her. Once she could let down her guard she smiled, looking down at Amasa to reassure him she was okay before turning her attention back to the couple. "Daleel what do you mean –"

"You heard me!" he snarled. "I… I ran into them and –"

"And what?" she huffed.

"And… well…" Daleel sighed, grabbing Cyanae's shoulders and holding her close and whispering into her ear. Zahra sighed, her eyes wandering as she looked up to the stars and the moon growing in the sky.

Then her eyes squinted, her eyes thinking that there was a shadowy moment streaking across the sky. Amasa had the same feeling and was quickly on his guard, Zahra calmly grabbing a knife from her clothes and waited for the movement again. Then she saw it, a needle flying across the sky towards the couple. Zahra ran and stood in front of them, Daleel and Cyanae letting out a frightful shriek as she stopped the needle with her knife and threw the weapon in her hand at the creature. Apparently, even though she was blindly throwing, she stabbed the creature and it fell to the ground, dead.

"What was –"

"A ghoul," Zahra thought, noticing the movements across the sky. She didn't take her eyes off of them, Amasa snarling as Zahra stood between the creatures and the couple as she backed them away. "I suppose you **do** have a sorcerer on your tail."

"You can say that –"

"Daleel get the wagon going. I'll keep them busy," Zahra told them, Daleel slowly backing away as Cyanae continued to stay behind her, petrified with fear. "Amasa grab my bag and bring my things to me; after guard Daleel and Cyanae. I'll take care of the ghilan." Amasa went slowly, knowing the severity of their situation, and walked into the kitchen, slipping Zahra's things out of the kitchen and bringing them to her.

Cyanae whimpered, about to yelp in fear as Amasa grabbed the end of her skirt with his teeth to urge her along. "But –"

"Cy, Amasa will take care of you," Zahra told her, taking out another weapon as she slung the bag over her shoulder and across her chest, while slipping the cloak over her neck and placing the hood over her head. "Go… come on go Cyanae… Woman **go**!" She yelled, Cyanae dashing off in a run as Amasa snarled at the shadows and protected Cyanae. That's when the creatures jumped, Zahra letting out a yell as she slashed at the monsters and they fell to the ground around her.

She evaded their attacks and rushed into the street, the creatures slivering and sliding as they roared and chased after her. Zahra jumped onto a cart and threw her body up into the air, flinging the swords behind her back and taking out four of the ghouls. She tried to chase them away, using her body as a distraction to give Daleel and Cyanae time to escape. Apparently it wasn't enough, hearing a scream coming from Cyanae. She snarled and jumped onto the roof, throwing the hand knifes at the creatures she passed before jumping down and using a hanging rope to swing herself into the wagon. "Cyanae hush," Zahra held her finger up to her lips, grabbing a bow and a quiver full of arrows before jumping out of the wagon just in time to slam her foot into a ghoul's chest. The ghoul screeched as it was thrown into the crowd, Zahra quickly stringing the bow and sending an arrow into the crowd of ghilan. That was when Daleel took off, startling the camels as they made their way through the streets. Zahra knew the camels won't go fast, even when spooked, so she'll have to try a different approach.

She cut into her left hand with a knife, the ghilan instantly turning their demonic red eyes at her before chasing after her. Zahra ran as fast as she could, Cyanae crying out to her as she ran in the opposite direction to get rid of the creatures. Her eyes widened as a man began to walk out of the tavern, Zahra pushing him to the side as she jumped into the air and landed on a stack of crates. She hoped the ghilan didn't turn to eat him, continuing to jump up till she made it onto the roof. Then she armed her bow, stringing one arrow and letting go, then two… then three. The shadow creatures seemed to keep coming from all around her, having to take out several at once as more tried to come up from the other side of the building. She kept firing till she only had half of her quiver full of arrows, the ghilan starting to get smart and dashing away from her using the roof tops. Zahra chased after them, letting arrows fly through the air as they pinned the creatures to walls and she used a knife to slit their throats. She quickly observed that the ghilan would turn to ash when they there defeated, understanding that these creatures were created from fire or ash. She smirked. Well two can play at that game.

Then she sighed, realizing she shouldn't draw too much attention to themselves. Deciding to trick them further she took off her necklace as she ran and squeezed it into the palm of her bleeding hand, getting blood all over it. Then Zahra threw it up into the air, a hoard of ghilan chasing after the object as they were led out into the open desert of the town. That made it easier for Zahra, standing at the edge of a roof and firing several arrows at the creatures. "Fools," she smirked, stringing several ghilan with just one arrow several times before looking behind. She sighed, seeing a minimal amount of ghilan chasing after her. Apparently they were the smart ones and weren't falling for her mediocre tricks. Zahra jumped down and pulled out her sword in midair, slamming the blade into rope and cutting a horse loose. She jumped onto the wooden post before climbing onto the horse, clicking her teeth together before letting out a _**'yi'ah!'**_.

They took off in a run, Zahra pulling her body close to the reins as she urged the horse faster down the sand. She lifted her body, using the sword to slash and hack the ghilan she passed as they cried out in pain. Then she pulled on the reins, grabbing the necklace just before it fell to the ground and chuckling happily as she placed it back around her neck. She grabbed her bow and strung an arrow, firing one by one and knocking the creatures to the ground. She smiled as she saw Daleel and Cyanae emerging from the town, seeing that they were okay. Bickering, but alright. Her eyes suddenly sparkled as she noticed another capture, having the horse trot over to a dead gazelle as she jumped down and pulled the body up onto the horse's backside. Then the horse walked over to the wagon, Zahra letting out a tired sigh as she threw the dead body into the back as Cyanae began to yell at her. "Hey we'll have some dinner now," Zahra chuckled, her eyes narrowing as she saw one last ghoul running towards them.

She jumped off of the horse and pulled on her bow, grabbing the remaining arrows and firing them till the creature was pinned to the ground. The creature snarled before Zahra appeared over it with a blade to its throat, smirking at the sudden fear in the ghoul's eyes. "So my little friend," Zahra chuckled lightly, noticing the fear in the red eyes, "tell me who sent you."

"_Why should I_ –"

"You don't and I kill you," she snorted.

"… _You have no way of_ –"

"Fine have it your way," she huffed, seeing no reason to keep the others waiting as she knelt down and hovered over the creature. The ghoul's eyes widened, trying to get away as the knife embedded itself into its neck.

Zahra's eyes gleamed as her jaded green eyes stared into its frightened red eyes, slowly losing the life in its eyes as it began to flicker its eyes closed. "_I-Iha_ –"

"**Louder servant**," she ordered in a stricter tone, the ghoul whimpering as it saw the anger growing in her eyes.

"_Ihab Tariq_!" it hissed. "_I-ihab! Ihab is who summoned us_ –" The ghoul gagged as blood flowed out of its neck, Zahra huffing as the ghoul limped and disappeared as ash on top of the sand.

Zahra sighed as the horse trotted slowly up to her, the woman smiling lightly as she pressed a hand on its nose. "Didn't think I'd need you again Gamila," she smirked, the horse neighing before beginning to walk away. She gave the horse a nod and walked in the opposite direction, climbing into the wagon as Amasa jumped in and sat beside her. Zahra kept her bow stringed with her last remaining arrow just in case another creature came forth, deciding it'd be better to talk to Daleel and Cyanae about this after they'd calm down.

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: Okay. So I do some time skipping throughout this chapter sometimes. It's just easier to get the story going so we can get to the more… exciting parts =3 TADA! ACTION! I think this is the first time I introduce creatures like this XD Except for diabound and the other Shadow monsters, of course. I hope you guys enjoyed this… and I'll see you next time! =D**

Sebek – Egyptian – crocodile god

ghilan – plural form of the old Arabic word _ghul_, translated as demon and the root of the modern _ghoul_. Ghilan are shapeshifting demons that roamed the outskirts of civilization, living in the deserts and other desolate environments. Using their shapeshifting abilities, they would lure lonely travelers to their lair and proceed to devour them. Some traditions hold that they then take on the form of the person they last consumed


	14. The Wild Pack

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

Alexis © missb111

**A/N: Well here comes some more stuff. I'll be throwing a few more things at you before they go raiding ;3 I hope you enjoy this and this will show a more into Zahra's history**

! #$%^&*()

Once the wagon came into the cursed villages Zahra's eyes lit up. Everyone was outside enjoying themselves, several fighting each other and others laughing by the river or under the shade of the temple and pyramid. It looked as if the villagers had grown happier and stronger while Zahra was gone. "Wow," Daleel chuckled. "It's only been a week or two, hasn't it Zahra. Think they'll be ready?"

"They look determined," Zahra nodded, "but they're not quite ready yet." Daleel nodded while Zahra jumped out of the wagon, stopping Cyanae and Amasa from jumping from the wagon as she walked over to the gathering crowd. Khalifa was the first to emerge forward, a grin on his face as he looked at the wagon. "I see you've been training," she said casually.

"Yes. We thought you'd come here later, but we still have some time," Khalifa nodded. "Is… is this it?"

"I will make a few more trips," Daleel told him, "because if I take everything at once people will get suspicious –"

"And we don't want that," Zahra finished for him, "so show me what you've been doing." Khalifa nodded, ushering Zahra to follow him as she began to walk around the villages. She eyed everyone with critical eyes, trying to decide how she'll go about this plan of hers. "… This is good, but not good enough," she realized, letting out a sigh as she stopped and looked over at the temple. "Everyone is working hard and I won't pressure you further, but we must continue on to the next step. First I must know how you'd like to go about the plans. I left some gaps for you to fill in."

"I was thinking about your plan and I consider it to be a good idea," Khalifa smiled, "but yet I am concerned. If we are to raid the palace shouldn't we raid other villages and towns first? After all this is the first time we are doing this –"

"If you wish to stay a villages of thieves then go ahead and start small," Zahra began, "but everyone needs the money. The best time and place is to raid the palace when they're unsuspecting and dumb. The pharaoh has his mind on a different group of thieves. If a small group like us appear he won't stand a chance. Plus I have other ideas."

"Oh?" he asked. "Like what?"

"We were raid in shifts," Zahra told him. "A group will be outside as a distraction while the others stay outside of the city and prepare. Our distraction can be as subtle as wooing the crowd and guards or simply making a scene. I was thinking of a long time distraction, so wooing would be the best thing," she smirked, "and I brought a woman who can teach several of the villagers how to dance. Next is everyone else. There has to be a few outside handling the horses. I would say we stop a sand dune or two away from the city. That way no one will see the horses till it's too late. Then getting inside. I will draw out plans and a map, but I will have to go inside and help." She sighed, "I don't know every room in the palace, but I've figured out where they keep their royal treasury. There are many rooms, but if we go in too many at a time they'll get suspicious. We will have two or three waves, the last wave taking as much as they can as we make our escape. If we need another distraction I will be the one to carry it out. Follow my orders completely and we will make it out of the city with fewer lives lost and more rewards at the end… Sound fair?"

"Actually yes," Khalifa nodded, "I like this idea of yours. I just wonder how we will get past everyone and the thieves and the guards and –"

"The thieves are only thinking of themselves," Zahra explained, "and they don't plan on raiding the palace for several months. For all we know we could pin this blame on them, but I won't count on it. The guards won't be looking for women and beggars and feeble-looking people. They're expecting big, strong men with oversized muscles and a temper to boot. Lay low and conspicuous and they won't bother us till the time is right. As for the pharaoh, he is too involved in his own death and looking out for his son to take notice of us. The high priests will come after us, but I will take care of them. Now any more questions and we'll discuss them later." She sighed, running a hand through her hair as she noticed Amasa jumping out of the back followed by Cyanae. "We will continue the training in the morning. For today let the people sleep. We have been on a long journey and Daleel won't want to leave till the next morning… perhaps tonight. If you could –"

"We will accommodate for them," Khalifa told her, noticing the wild dog walking towards them. "Now who is this –"

"Before you freak let me just explain," she held her hand to him, letting her fingers run through the dog's fur as Amasa woofed happily. "This used to be my dog when I still lived here in Egypt. I was thinking, since his pack lives in the area, we can use them for this raid. After all the two sides compete for food. Perhaps it's time to come together and help one another so these villages can survive. What do you say?" Zahra decided to ask.

"… I'll think about it," he told her, "but it may be hard to convince the others."

"Trust me Khalifa. If I spend some time with the dogs and some time with the people we will come to a solution. Now if you must excuse me I need to clean my wounds. Good day." Khalifa watched as Zahra left him, walking over to Basir and Jalila as they trained side by side. He noticed the fear in his villagers' eyes, but they quickly softened when she told them the dog wasn't a threat. Then he wondered again if this was a good idea, but then he was reminded of the hardship and the displeasure of the villagers and thought against it.

This was a good idea. The money can help them rebuild their villages and keep the people happy. He smiled at the thought. "It's a good thing you are here Ranpu," he finished with a nod, walking over to his own village and telling the people as he passed by that they had the day off, which surprisingly most didn't quit and continued to fight and train with one another.

! #$%^&*()

Zahra followed Amasa through the desert and up a ridge, climbing up the rocks and careful to not let herself lose her footing and fall to a rocky death below. She was proud of the villagers of AmAuNet. They still had a few more days of practice, but with Daleel directing them they'll be ready in no time. After all he saved her back in Greece. She trusts him that he'll train them, organize them, and get them ready for the big raid. Besides Zahra had to get the wild dog packs on their side and that will give her some time to spend with Amasa and his family. Once they got to a cave hidden right on the edge of the rocks Amasa barked at her to stop and wait, Zahra doing as she was told as the dog walked into the cave. He howled and his voice echoed through the cave, Zahra hearing the call loud and clear as she stood patiently and waited. After a few moments she heard snarling to the side of her, but she closed her eyes and gave the creature no heed as he scraped his claws on the rocks next to her before lunging.

In an instant Amasa growled and grabbed the dog by the neck, slamming him into the ground and causing him to back away and whimper out in pain and submission. Amasa snorted and snapped his teeth at the dog, the dog running into the cave and crying as Amasa turned his head back to Zahra. She heard a softer bark and opened her eyes, noticing that the black dog was staring at her with annoyance as she only shrugged and followed him inside. The cave was much larger then she had thought; a small hole in the middle of nowhere descending down into a cavern and into the darkness of hidden caves. There were many corridors that Amasa took her down, making sure the human was behind him as he led them through the cave. Then he came upon a den, the female dog tilting her head up as a bunch of pups began to run at them.

The female dog snarled and the pups stepped back, obeying their mother as the black and brown furred dog slowly made her way to them. She snarled at Amasa before turning her gaze to Zahra, sniffing at her as Amasa barked at the dog as if he was explaining why the human was there. The female snorted and nipped her fingers, Zahra letting the dog do this as she drew blood. "You have nothing to fear," Zahra spoke softly, looking over at the pups as they whimpered before turning her gaze back to the female. "If you wish for me to leave –"

The female dog barked and Zahra smiled, letting the female lick her blood before grabbing her finger with her teeth and bringing her into the den. Once the dog let go Zahra sat down contently, letting the pups sniff her with sudden curiosity as the female dog began to snarl at Amasa. "Perhaps you should listen to your wife Amasa," Zahra chuckled lightly as her hand ran through one of the pup's head, "I don't want to cause trouble –" Hearing Amasa's words the female snarled. Zahra huffed before letting a bark escape her throat. The female looked at her with curiosity as Amasa smirked, letting Zahra speak. "If you do not trust me just say the word and I will leave," Zahra smiled to her. "Perhaps I should have spoken to you in your language because you don't seem to understand me, but that would only frighten you further."

"… Who is this human you have brought with you?" the female dog barked at Amasa.

"She was my master, Lilith. She still is," Amasa explained. "Do not question her motives. Please listen to me because I don't want to others to hear about this yet –"

"Alright!" Lilith barked and snapped her teeth at him. "… I'll see what I can do –"

"Great!" Amasa laughed and jumped upon Lilith, licking her face and pinning her down with his paws. "You won't regret this!" he laughed as his pups barked and woofed happily because of his enthusiasm. "Ummm…" he kept his head to the ground, looking to the ground as he walked over to Zahra. "I am going to go explain to the others what is going on. I am sorry about this –"

"No don't be," Zahra smiled and rubbed his head before holding him close. "You've always been a great friend. You're my family Amasa, the only family I truly have left."

Amasa woofed and licked her hand, then walking over and licking Lilith's fur. "I'll be back love," he said in a whisper. "Take care of her. Let her rest. We can discuss all of this in the afternoon."

"Yes love," Lilith answered, Amasa glancing one last time at Zahra before giving them a nod and disappearing into the caves. Then Lilith snorted, walking over to the human as Zahra slipped her cloak out from around her neck so the pups wouldn't strangle her while she slept and set her stuff aside. "… Just who are you exactly?" the female asked, sniffing her again. "You don't exactly smell human, but yet you are… yet you can speak to us? Are you a goddess?"

"No, not really," Zahra chuckled amusingly. "I am a simple thief."

"Why are you here?" Lilith growled.

"Well I come back to Egypt and Amasa must have spotted and followed me," she sighed as she slumped against the wall, running a hand through her hair as she rubbed an eye. "There was this man, another thief I suppose, and Amasa jumped out to defend me. So we got to talking, catching up on our lives. Now he wanted me to see his family so that's why I'm here… that's all."

"… Where have you been all this time?" the dog asked, her pups running off in the den as she slumped down and set her head down on Zahra's hand.

Zahra smiled. "I've been gone for eight years," she sighed, "and my sister asked me to come back so I did… Wasn't as urgent as I thought, but whatever. I was trying to leave when I ran into those cursed villages over there so I'm staying for a while. Now I'm training them how to be thieves and steal from the pharaoh. Pretty elaborate huh?"

"… I suppose," Lilith shrugged, "but most of your words I don't understand. Curse? Pharaoh? Eight years? I do not know these things."

"Oh I see," Zahra chuckled. "To make it simple: I had to leave years ago and Amasa wanted to stay here. So I let him. Plus I told him I didn't want to get him involved with my curse… I'm sort of a monster."

"You?" Lilith looked at her confused, "You don't seem like a monster, human. Odd, but no monster. No, I've seen my fair share of monsters. Scary creatures that roam in the night and attack us. That's why we sleep during the day and hunt at night. It's easier to keep track of everyone if we're all up at the same time. You smell odd, but not like a monster. No… no monster."

"Thanks for the support," Zahra chuckled lightly and felt her eyes starting to close before sighing again. "I'm sorry. I'm awfully tired for some reason."

"That's alright," Lilith licked her arm before standing back up and walking over to the entrance of the den. "You go to sleep and I'll keep watch. I promised Amasa I will."

"… Thank you," Zahra nodded and curled up, placing her head in her hands as she closed her eyes and curled up into the corner.

Lilith barked, "You're welcome." Then she barked at her pups to keep silent, letting the woman fall asleep. After a while she wandered back over to her, setting her head on Zahra's hands and letting her pups fall asleep beside them. Zahra smiled in her sleep, letting out a loud yawn before curling up tighter. This brought back so many memories of years passed that she wished she could go back to.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

_The sun was shining, there were birds in the air, and Zahra sat contently by the Nile River. She looked back to her family with a smile, her eyes drawing back to the water as her feet kicked and splashed the water making ripples roam over to the other side of the bank. It had been a few months since she joined their family and still she barely said anything. Alexis was always anxious and every day would try to get Zahra to talk, but Seto didn't bother and let the child be. Zahra was grateful for that, since the constant pestering would get annoying from time to time, but she didn't comment or say she disliked them. She really didn't, only fed up with their questions and their comments on the world as if she wasn't only mute but deaf too. _

_She sighed, kicking her feet again and leaning back on her hands, closing her eyes and letting her skin soak up the sun above. It had only been recently that Zahra came across her name… Zahra… The name seemed so odd, but yet felt just right. That's all she'd say, Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu, over and over when they asked for her to talk. It wasn't as if she didn't know, but sometimes when she'd try to speak the words wouldn't come out right. They would just be a mumble or a sound. So she stopped trying. There was no point in straining her vocal cords if she didn't need to. The fact that she couldn't remember anything of her past was frightening. She wanted to know, wanted to know if she had a family and a home to go back to. Was she a good child? A bad child? Did she misbehave for attention or have many siblings who took care of her? She smiled at the thought, looking over at Seto, Alexis, and their mother. No, they were her family now. If she did have parents they would have found her by now, and she had a feeling she'd never come across them again. She could only hope one day she would, but for now all she had left of them was a dagger that was strapped to the inside of her thigh and burns and bruises all over her body. Oddly enough some cuts and scrapes and other sorts she was very fond of, as if she had earned them for doing something great, but the burns were only painful. No joy came from that healing skin. Zahra had a few minor burns on her skin that were only visible under her clothing. She had a piece of cloth that she'd wrap around her arm to hide the only burn that could be visible, but the rest had already healed or were hidden away. It'll only be a matter of time till she was healed again, back a normal girl, she supposed._

_But who was she? The reason why she didn't try to speak was because she wanted to know who she was and where she came from. No one knew and only asked **her**. If only she knew! Perhaps she hit her head or something. Plus she found this life better, even though their mother would be strict with them sometimes. The woman was a very loving creature, letting Zahra live with her as if she was her own kin and even formally adopting her. She shook her head. The family had been looking for a new home when they came across her. It was easy to say that they were all related, even though Alexis had long, bright silver hair that glistened in the sun and Seto and his mother only had plain brown hair. Zahra was different, with dark, black hair, but her hair was more believable then Alexis'. Still she was fond of the white hair, always brushing her hair and running her fingers through Alexis' hair as if it was part of a memory. But yet it wasn't. They never knew her and she never knew them. Only the silver hair, the white hair, was keeping her from leaving and running away. She wanted to be close to that hair, even if she didn't internally know why. It felt… familiar to her. Besides Alexis liked her brushing through her hair every day. She liked that Zahra went out of her way to notice her every day, and if Alexis was happy then Zahra was happy. _

_Zahra sighed, opening her eyes and looking out to the other side of the Nile. Even if she liked her family she still wanted her **real** family… though Zahra was beginning to wonder if she had run away. Maybe that was it… perhaps she was being scolded and was set on fire or something. In her mind her family wasn't like this. They were a fun loving couple that loved to see her smile. Even if they weren't they are gone now, gone from her life that is. She looked over to the side, looking up the hill and at the rocks. Then she tilted her head to the side, suddenly seeing a large black dog with sharp teeth and large olive eyes staring back at her. When they locked eyes it was as if a trigger was being pulled, the dog suddenly running at lightning bolt speed towards the girl. She only stood there, frozen in stunned shock._

_Seto quickly noticed this and ran out of the water as quickly as he could, yelling at Zahra to run away. When he saw her staring with her back turned to him petrified he growled under his breath, grabbing a stick as he passed by and ran to them with haste. He was too late, the dog slamming into Zahra's body and pushing her into the river. "Zahra!" he cried out, jumping back into the water with his stick raised ready to strike down the dog. Once he came across them he couldn't believe his eyes, quickly dropping the stick into the water. _

_Zahra was giggling and laughing, the dog licking her face as they tried to wade back to shore. Something else was even more astonishing, the mute girl was speaking. "Amasa! Ah, Amasa!" Zahra laughed happily and ran her hands through the dog's fur, wrapping her arms around him and gripping him tightly to her chest. "Amasa! By the gods it's Amasa!" She dragged herself back onto shore, the dog continuing to press himself on her chest as she laid sloppy wet on the sand and continued to hug him tightly. "Amasa," Zahra sighed happily, setting her head down on the dog's shoulder as she closed her eyes. The dog barked with approval, seeing Zahra slowing down then letting himself get comfortable, sitting upright and letting the girl pet him. "Seto!" Zahra looked up and called the boy over, "Come see! It's my dog! – Hey I can talk again! Hah! This is great!" _

"_I-I can see that," Seto answered as he came near them, Alexis and their mother running as fast as they could from the water to investigate on the situation. "… Zahra, you can talk?"_

"_I always have," Zahra explained and looked up at him, "but for some reason, even when I'd try to say hello, the words didn't come out right. It was odd… like I was speaking babble."_

"_Who's this dog?" Seto pointed._

_Zahra smiled, giggling and running her hand through the fur before hugging Amasa again. "I'm… I'm not sure," Zahra confessed, "but I seem to know him. What did I call him?" The dog let out a confused whine before barking, causing Seto to jump back startled. Zahra laughed, "That's right it's Amasa. I'll have to remember –" She blinked, listening to the dog speak. "I-I… I don't remember… I'm sorry," she pouted. Then her eyes lit up. "Wait I'm your master? Then you know of my family?" Zahra's eyes brightened at his woofs and barks. Then she pouted, looking to the ground and letting go of the dog. "Y-you're not going to tell me?" She frowned, "but… but can you at least show me – It's dangerous? I-I don't understand –"_

"_Seto, Zahra, are you alright?" Alexis yelled, running up to Seto and wrapping her arms around his neck as she stared down nervously at the dog. _

"_We are fine –"_

"_Zahra you're talking!" Alexis gasped, her mother equally astonished as her daughter. _

"_Yes I know –"_

"_It's complicated Alexis," Seto reassured her, "but nothing the oracle can't tell us. Right mother?"_

"_Right son," their mother nodded, slowly crouching down next to Zahra as the dog started to snarl. Zahra put a finger up to his mouth to keep the dog silent, Amasa staring at Zahra confused before licking Zahra's hand and cautiously sniffing the stranger's arm. "Though I think that won't be necessary."_

"_But mother –"_

"_Sometimes we need to keep quiet of little miracles like these," their mother explained, "and from what I can tell this dog was sent here for a reason. We will keep him around. Perhaps it will help us find Zahra's parents and her home."_

"_But Zahra just said –"_

"_We can discuss this at home Seto," she sighed and stood up. Zahra knowingly stood up a few seconds later, Amasa standing beside Zahra as if he was a loyal guard dog trained by the pharaoh himself. "I don't want us to be overheard. Come along Zahra. Bring your new friend with you."_

"_Okay mother," Zahra grinned happily, looking down at the dog and running a joyful hand through the dog's head one last time. Then she followed her family, the dog following behind her and keeping his eyes on the people his master seemed to call her family._

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

When Zahra woke up she heard the faint sounds of growling. Realizing where she was she took her time to wake up, opening her eyes gradually and careful to not make a lot of movement as she sat on the dirt and rocky floor. Then she noticed the scene, Amasa growling at a bunch of dogs as they growled back. They were threatening him and trying to get into the den, Amasa and Lilith snarling at them and threatening to rip apart their bodies if they moved any closer. She looked over and saw the pups whining helplessly in the corner. "It's okay children," she woofed calmly at them, "Do not worry."

Hearing the woman speak the wild dogs stopped, staring at Amasa in confusion, "Just who did you bring here Amasa?" an old dog continued to growl.

"She is my master," he growled back, "and if you touch her without my permission I will **kill** you."

The older dog held out his paw to the others, the younger dogs growing quieter as Amasa eyed him cautiously. The dog walked confidently into the den, Amasa snarling and backing away, keeping himself between Zahra and the elder dog. Once he stopped Amasa stopped, keeping his eyes on the dog as he stared into Zahra's eyes. "Are you a goddess?" the dog asked.

"I… I don't think so sir," she tilted her head slightly and gave him a respectable bow. "What has Amasa told you?"

"He told us a few years ago that his master had left him here in Egypt," the elder dog explained. "He never said anything after this, only you left. Also you are a powerful master, but we haven't believed him till now."

Zahra smiled. "I'm not powerful. I am only cursed."

"You are **not**," Amasa whined at her. "You're a gift, not a curse. How many times must I tell you this –"

"Amasa it's true –"

"You don't know!" he barked at her, Zahra quickly growing silent. Then Amasa sighed. "Sorry."

"It's alright," she smiled to him.

"Just… just don't believe what these mortals tell you, alright? That boy you called brother, don't believe what he says. You're no curse. I just wish that you could understand and I… I…" Amasa pouted.

"Tell me about my family?" Zahra answered for him.

"Exactly," he responded. "I can't. You know this. The gods, they –"

"You don't have to tell me anymore," Zahra smiled to him and then looked to the other wild dogs. "I don't have to stay here and cause trouble for you –"

"I want you to," Amasa told her. "Besides you were part of my older pack before. You have some great ideas for us and can speak to those humans in the villages. We could use your assistance."

"Whatever you need Amasa," Zahra answered. "Just explain to your pack why I'm here then… Is it evening yet?"

"Not yet, but you can rest," he told her. "I won't let them touch you," Amasa's eyes suddenly narrowed, snarling at the dogs as they took a few cautious steps backward.

"Then what is your name?" the elder dog asked once Amasa stopped in front of the den and continued to snarl at him.

"I am Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu," she told them, "but I use the name Ranpu mostly –"

"**Sutekh**? Zahra-Sutekh?" The dog thought, Amasa eying him suspiciously. "… The human may stay."

"But –"

"Do not question me," the elder dog snorted and nodded at Amasa. "How did you come across this human Amasa?"

"I was always with her," Amasa said back, "and I was born the same night she was. Do not question me further. **Now go**."

The elder dog snorted and the others followed, leaving the family in the den as Amasa stood guard not backing down from his post. "… You were?" Lilith decided to say after a few minutes.

"Yes," Amasa sighed, looking over to Zahra with a smile. "I already told Zahra that I was born the same day she was. My mother died a few days later and left us pups to fend for ourselves. Some were taken by hungry animals and others simply died of starvation. A human, a human man, came upon my den and I was the only one that was still breathing and alive. So he brought me to his home, nursed me back to health, and that's where I stayed: loyal to the Ranpu family."

"What exactly did they do?" Lilith asked, ignoring Zahra as she curled up back into the corner and tried to go back to sleep.

"Her father was the man who mummified the dead bodies of the villagers and buried them in the ground. Her mother had been a prostitute, but came back to her home when she found out she was pregnant with Zahra," he explained, walking over to Zahra and nuzzling his nose on her shoulder. The woman smiled and ran a hand through the dog's head, but then curled back up trying to get to sleep. "They lived in a village of thieves, a safe haven for the bad beings of her kind. Even so there were many people in the village who were kind and gentle creatures, Zahra and her family being one of them. I also told her that she wanted to be a thief when she grew up, but that is all I can say on the matter."

Lilith nodded, standing beside Amasa as she nuzzled Zahra's cheek and set her head down on her shoulder. "… I shouldn't have been so judgmental about her –"

"You didn't know," Amasa chuckled, "and it's perfectly alright. A wild animal and a human friendship. It is practically unheard of around here… except for those domesticated dogs."

Lilith snarled. "Disgusting creatures. Letting themselves be chained to humans."

Amasa smirked. "It isn't that bad," he explained, "but I have always been a wild animal, and honestly so has my master. We love nature, love being out on our own, and I taught her a lot she knows. I taught her how to be vicious and mean, to be kind and gentle. To be brave and loyal and helpful to every creature. To hunt, to attack, to fight till you are the victor. Many things she was taught from me and the dog pack we had come into contact to close to where she was living. We learned from each other. Before it was her teaching me everything I knew and when she lost her memories I taught her everything I knew. She will make a great addition to the pack, trust me on this." He nuzzled the female's fur, giving her a lick on the cheek for good measure. "She is an interesting creature. I have been debating if she's truly human or not, but she is my kin. We are family. If you cannot accept this –"

"I do," Lilith told him in a tired state, letting out a yawn. "I will, but you can't expect everything to change overnight. It will take time."

"Yes I know," he took a few steps away and stood by the entrance, "but if you can then the rest will follow. I am the leader after all. It is my job to make sure everyone is safe and accounted for. Zahra is the same. She has her own humans to take care of, but we are loyal to each other. If she needs me I go to her aid. If I need her she comes to mine. Though, with how old I am getting, I don't think I can stay with her for much longer," he sighed.

Lilith cracked a smile, "Perhaps you can have one of our sons stay with the human. Will she stay here?"

"She will probably leave," Amasa sighed, "master always does that –"

"Then perhaps Kalil will be the best choice." She thought, "A strong male, almost two years old, and has the ability to take down an antelope with a single strike. He has always wanted to travel, but no one wants to go with him. After some persuasion I think he'd like to go. Just ask the boy."

"I will try," Amasa nodded to Lilith before looking at the darkness of the caves around them. "Yes I was thinking Kalil too. We will talk to him later, after everyone becomes adjusted to this new member. He **is** the perfect dog for the job. He is as stubborn as Zahra is," he chuckled lightly.

"And he reflects his father in _many~_ ways," Lilith snickered, getting a glare from Amasa before he let out a snort.

"Her tactics are unusual then most humans. She has specific sounds she makes, commands that animals can understand. Master can also make other sounds, for example she has a specific whistle for me. She has signals to attack. To stop. Kalil will have to learn these, but how Zahra is he wouldn't have problems hearing them. He'll only have problems memorizing them," he sighed. "The boy will have to train, but that is why master is here anyways. She's here to train the humans as thieves. She wants to get rid of the evil spirits that lurk around the villages and bring the land back to its formal glory. I am proud of her," he smiled, "she has come a long way from when we departed. She's back to making witty remarks and helping others. I have my old master back."

Lilith smiled, standing up and walking over to her pups. She lies down and let them rush around her, knowing that it's meal time. "If you are happy then I am too," Lilith told him, "and if you wish to help your master then I will help back you up."

"Trust me Lilith," he chuckled lightly, "Zahra has a way to persuading creatures. She won't come across any real problems." Lilith nodded, curling up and letting the pups have their fill of her milk. Amasa sighed and sat his bottom down, standing up tall and proud guarding the den. She stared at him as he sat, noticing the confidence and motionless stance he had. She smiled. He was why she mated with him. That confidence, the leadership, it was why she worked hard to impress him and become the alpha female. So she could have his children and carry on that confidence and loyalty Amasa had. He was always there to defend, always there to guard and put his life on the line for his pack without a second thought. Now that she knew that this human was responsible for this… well she had the internal feeling to defend the woman also. Besides she would always follow Amasa. If he wanted to give his children away she will let him. She will stay by his side till the very end.

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: _Aww~_ nice ending XD Let's see what we learned… Zahra not only speaks the language of the gods, but can speak to animals. Perhaps knowing the gods' language can cause a human to talk/understand animals too? Also she lost her memories. I don't know if that was emphasized before, but now it is ^^ Well that's it! Sorry that it took me a while to post something. I have finals this week and I'll be busy. Then only two days after I'm out of school I'll be going on vacation. So I don't know if there'll be another one before then… maybe yes, maybe no. I hope I have time to post another one though =3 SEE YOU LATER!**

Lilith – Babylonian – belonging to the night

Kalil – Arabic – valued and trusted friend


	15. The Past Training

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! As I said before I'll be going on vacation soon. So I decided, since I have some time to relax, that I'll post another chapter or two (maybe even more, but I won't count on it) before going on my trip. We're driving up to Canada. Woot! XD Anyways I'll be leaving the 8th and my last final is the 6th (doesn't give me a lot of time to pack DX) Thus, expect the chapters between then. I'll be back the 20th, but that's also the day I start school. So I may be working out my schedule for that week before posting anymore. Anyways that's the details. I'll post one today and maybe one over the weekend or the day before I leave. I don't know. It'll depend on how much time I have left. Well… now that I have that out of the way… I'll just repeat myself if I've said this already. This is mainly a story about an OC, not really Bakura. I'll add him more into the future, but I'm still trying to introduce Zahra and everything she does. THEN I'll add Bakura in some more. So he'll pop in and out of the story… for now =3 And I think that's all I have to say. Enjoy!**

! #$%^&*()

_Zahra sat up from her blanket, setting it down slowly on the bed as she sneaked out of the small house. She grabbed her black cloak as she left; glancing at the three sleeping bodies to make sure they weren't disturbed before leaving the house. She walked for about a mile before coming to her destination, greeted with a group of wild dogs yelping and licking her arms. "Hey come on guys!" she barked and laughed, running a hand through the dogs' heads as they licked her face. Once they were done greeting her she heard Amasa bark at them, the other dogs backing away at his rough tone as Zahra smiled and wiped the slobber from her face. Then she got up and followed him, the two of them separating from the other dogs and going off nto the arid desert. _

_Every night Zahra would try to sneak out to see Amasa's pack, if she wasn't caught by perhaps Seto or her mother, and every night they would go off to train together. Sometimes with the pack and sometimes by themselves, but it was always for training purposes. Why? For one she promised she would. Amasa doesn't always come back home with her, but when he does they don't have time to train or talk to each other. Her mother kept her busy with chores and her studies to be a priestess overwhelmed the rest of her time. Secondly Amasa told her he would tell her all he could about where she lived every few nights and in turn she would train with him. She was already told a few details. She had wanted to be a thief when she grew up and she was a natural born fighter. She also taught most of what Amasa knows, though, he said, there are some times they can't teach each other just because they are different creatures. Amasa also told her a few things about her father, but tonight after their training he promised he would talk about her mother. _

_Tonight they will continue where they left off, knife throwing. Zahra had started off mediocre, but Amasa told her that she still needed to build up her confidence in order to shoot wild game. The next hunt for the pack will be in another week and Amasa wanted Zahra to attend. She was able to become one of the pack members with barely any problems, once Amasa explained that they both lost their homes, but she hadn't gone on a hunt with them yet. Amasa knew that Zahra had the experience and the internal drive to hunt, but she had to get over her fears and the constant scolding of her adopted family in order to better herself in mind and spirit. So they wandered through the desert till they came across several trees hidden in the middle of nowhere, Amasa grabbing a sack full of knives the wild dogs had stolen over the weeks for Zahra to use and train with. _

_They began, Amasa barking orders as Zahra tried to throw the knives in sync across the lagoon to the trees on the other side. They continued this well into the night, Amasa letting the child rest for only a few moments till they were training yet again. It was taking everything Zahra had to keep up with Amasa's commands, her arms randomly throwing at the inanimate objects and sometimes missing by a few inches. "No!" Amasa barked, snarling as he stomped his foot. "You had it before, what happened?"_

"_I'm sorry Amasa," she answered with a woof as she panted, "b-but this is hard –"_

"_Come on Zahra," Amasa sighed, "you used to be able to do this without any problems. I know you lost your memories, but this is basic training for you. What happened?"_

"_I… I don't know," Zahra pouted, setting the knives down beside her as she leaned against the tree and sighed with irritation. _

_Amasa let out a pain filled **'whine'**, noticing her frustration as he walked over to her and nudged her arm with his nose. "Hey it's okay. You'll get this. You just need to believe you can." _

_Zahra pouted, "But that's the thing. There's no **reason** for me to learn all this. I can throw fine and knock out game if I wanted to. I can fight. What's the big deal?" _

_He gave her a smile, setting his head down on her knees as she set her head back on the bark. They both sighed at the same time, Amasa's tail slowly wagging as he thought of what he'd say next. "So I told you about your father right?" he asked, Zahra looking over before giving him a nod. "Well… let me tell you what happened to **her** then," he began. "Your mother was a kind and gentle woman, though from what I heard around the village she was a hell raiser when she was younger. Umm… she didn't have any magical powers or anything, but I heard that she grew up in a family that worked with the dead. That is how she knew your father. You see your mother and father were childhood friends. Your father wasn't the best thief so he trained himself in his family's trade and became a priest of Anubis. Your mother was considered average, but she didn't want to be a thief and didn't want to be a priestess. So she eventually left home without any intention of ever returning._

"_I heard from your father and mother that she used to be a prostitute. She was on her own… she was crying when she would talk about it," Amasa pouted and licked Zahra's hand in a way to comfort her. "She ended up in a bar, earning her meals by dancing around for the men that came in. Eventually that money wasn't enough and she let herself be violated by them, a few times raped. Then one day there was this one man who came in. He had pure black hair that was short, silky, and oddly enough soft. His body looked like he was sculpted by the gods, so she tried to get him as a customer. But when she saw his eyes she stopped, seeing ruby red eyes that seemed to peer right into her soul. She didn't see that man for a while, but one night she was grabbed and forced to the ground. A group of men circled around her to rape her, but the man appeared out of nowhere and took them on. They fell to the ground in an instant, the man barely holding up his fists and they passed out in an instant. He helped her up and they talked the rest of the night, the man coming back every night, not as a customer, but only to talk with your mother. That was when… when she gave herself to him."_

_Zahra looked at the dog confused, Amasa sighing as he buried his head into her leg. "The man was different then she thought. As they continued black kohi suddenly outlined his eyes and extended their lines, his head turning into an animal. Your mother was too caught up in the moment to stop him, but he hadn't been completely honest with her. He actually had his eye on her, instantly seeing into her soul and all her hardship through her eyes. She was a lovely woman, long brunette hair and bright sea green eyes. He wanted her for himself. So he took her, slept with her, and the following week she found out she was pregnant. She was forced out of the bar and went back on the streets, unable to take care of herself. Then odd things began to happen. People were suddenly afraid of her, but a priest was passing by on the road one day and offered her a place to stay. She was invited into the temple of Seth, and then she realized who the man who slept with her was. She saw a statue and then… yeah." The dog sniffled and let out a sneeze before coughing. "Anyways she decided to go back home. She didn't have the spunk she once had and couldn't steal with a baby in her belly. She didn't want the baby to die, she was fond of becoming a mother, but she couldn't stay where she was. She needed someone to help her._

"_So she went back to her home. That's when her friend found her, your father. Yes… you were adopted, but it was for a good reason. Everyone was fearful of her and when you were born of you, but they were promised that the gods would be with the village if they treated you well. It was the main leader of the thieves that invited you into his home. It was because you were friends with one of his sons and the two of you were inseparable," he smiled at the thought. Amasa licked her hand before standing back up, rustling his fur and getting some of the sand off of his body. "You worked hard because of your past. You wanted to prove yourself to everyone else. You weren't something to be feared and were a gift from the gods, not a curse. That's what I'm trying to tell you," he sighed. "I know this is difficult for you, but this is true. Your mother… she had a hard life. Her family had passed away when she came back. Your father was the only thing she had left in the world. She tried to assure everyone you were a normal child, could be a thief like everyone else… make the village great. In reality you would have. You had the skills to. Actually many children in that village had the abilities to make the village great. You were one among many, but you worked hard and were the best of your age. You even went on a few raids and stole countless treasures… You were a hero to many and they learned to adore you."_

"… _So… so what happened? Where is everyone?" Zahra asked with a sad look on her face._

_Amasa pouted, turning his head and walking over to the bag. "We've had a long enough break. Get back to training Zahra."_

_She sighed and stood up, walking over to the bag and began to throw the knives again. Zahra looked sad, though she was now determined to better herself and become a top-notch thief after everything Amasa told her. Zahra knew Amasa couldn't say certain things, though she wondered why. Now she knew that her mother was taken advantage of… by some scary creature. No wonder people were instantly scared of her when they saw her. No wonder she had powers… dark powers. No wonder her mother and siblings were afraid of her… and no wonder her mother and siblings kept insisting that she becomes a priestess for the pharaoh. She threw the knife and it instantly stuck in the middle of the tree, a smirk coming to her face. Well that was all in the past. She will always want to know what happened, but now she had a reason to not follow Seto loyally anymore. She had to better herself. She had to become a great thief and a great fighter. If that was her village's intentions for her then that's what she'll become. Forget what her new mother wants her to be. She will still see her new family as kin, but she will be a great woman thief. She will! "I will damn it!" Zahra suddenly said in Egyptian, throwing two knives and cutting the branches on either side of a tree and they fell to the ground. She smirked, Amasa panting and wagging his tail happily. "I will become a great thief, just you wait," she chuckled happily as she thought of her newly acclaimed dream. "The people will give me a title and fear me. I'll control a bunch of subjects with only my fists… but also I will be kind and gentle. I will be a top-notch leader… Yes I will!... Okay Amasa. Give me something else." He smirked, barking another order as she threw the knives one after the other. _

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra yawned, rubbing her eyes and waking up. She sat against the wall, slowly standing up and noticing that Amasa was still awake guarding the door while Lilith was asleep. He looked at her and gave her a smile. "Sleep well?" he quietly woofed at her.

"Somewhat," she yawned. "I had a memory that you were training me. We were talking about my mother… who was that man she had slept with? An animal face? That's odd."

Amasa sighed, "You know I can't tell you –"

"Well you should!" she suddenly yelled, a few of the pups waking up with a startle. "Y-y-you **should** Amasa. You know I've been trying to figure this out. Why can't you tell me? Please tell me!"

"… Sit down," he told her, Zahra instantly sitting back down in the dirt as he sighed and looked back to his post. "… I can't tell you because the gods made it so. They will know if I told you certain details and if I do they said I'll be in pain for the rest of my life… or die. Either way it's an insurance for them. That way you won't find out about your family. Like the name of the village. Your parents' names… anyone who could possibly be alive and anyone who has passed away."

Zahra snarled, "Damn gods. Why are they always doing this to us?... Alive? No one is?" she asked him.

"… I'm sorry I said too much again," he sighed. "Let's get off of the topic."

She nodded and smiled. "What are the plans?"

"… How long can you stay?" he asked.

"Probably a week," she shrugged, "and after that I should, at least, check back in at the village. Is that enough time for you?"

"Yes, thank you Zahra," he smiled before sighing again. "… Come hunting with us, either tonight or tomorrow. Then hopefully everyone will get to know you and see how great you are… how great of a hunter you are."

"Actually one of my names is the Shadow Huntress," she giggled under her breath. "What do you think?"

"Hah!" Amasa laughed. "That's so cool! I knew you would be great someday."

"Thank you," she chuckled and gave him a curtsy, "but it's all thanks to your guidance –"

"You had it inside of you all along," he smiled. "We just had to bring it out. Now sit by me. We can look out and keep watch together." Zahra smiled back and scooted over to the dog, sighing as she leaned on the other side of the wall and looked out to the empty cave. Soon enough the wild dogs will be stirring and will want to talk to her, find out more about her. She sighed. She hopes this won't take too long. After all she needs to get out of Egypt… away from the gods and her curses. Amasa said he understood, but yet she knows he wants her to stay. Oh well. It'll just be another adventure she supposed.

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra snuck through the sands on all fours with a knife clutched in her mouth. She looked over at Amasa and he gave her a nod, Zahra nodding back and narrowing her eyes. The rest of the pack stared at him confused, Amasa giving them a slight nod as if to assure them that everything will be fine. They stared; waiting to see what Zahra would do as she pulled her hood closer to her face and kept her body close to the sand. She kept her eye on the small animal, a hare jumping out of its burrow to eat grass growing from the sand. She hid behind a dune, her eyes peering over the top before hiding back behind the sand. She took the knife out of her mouth and let out a slow breath. She would have to concentrate, trust her instincts like Amasa tells her to do. She gripped the knife with her good hand, clutching it as her glowing green eyes peered over the dune. Then she slowly moved her arm back, suddenly throwing the knife at top speed towards the hare.

The wild dogs heard a squeal and rushed over, watching as Zahra stood up confidently with a grin on her face as she grabbed the hare by the ears and pulled the knife out from its body. She stabbed the animal right in the heart, barely giving it a chance to get away. "My gosh, **this** is your master?" one of the dogs commented. "I've never seen any human do that."

"Yeah!" another barked. "Great job human!"

"Here take it," Zahra handed the hare over to the nearest dog. "I don't have to eat this –"

"It is custom for the members who do the hunting and strike first to have the first share of the meat," Amasa explained.

"Wait… this is it?" Zahra whimpered slightly and looked out at the desert. "Won't you go hunting for something else?"

"We leave the rest to the humans," Amasa explained. "There are other animals around here then just us. We can't be choosy."

Zahra hummed, thinking to herself. "Still take the meat. I'll catch us some more."

One of the dogs chuckled. "Don't worry about it human. There's going to be a herd of gazelle jumping by in two more nights. Have your fill. We are all waiting for the herd to come by **first** before thinking of anything drastic."

She nodded. "Okay… what now?"

"Eat," one of the dogs instructed her.

Zahra looked over at Amasa, a look of confusion on her face as he gave her a gentle smile. "It is also a way for us to trust you. Why? You don't like raw meat anymore?" Amasa chuckled.

She huffed, grabbing the feet of the hare and around its neck before sinking her teeth into its stomach. Zahra chewed, swallowing the meat in her mouth whole before spitting out some of the fur. They watched as she ripped hungrily into the meat, a few of them astonished that a human wouldn't create a fire to eat their food. After eating what she liked she handed the body over to the next dog, to Amasa since he was the alpha dog in the group. He sank his teeth into the animal and the meat was passed around, everyone eating what they needed before handing it over to the next dog. "I would think a _human~_ would cook their food," one of the dogs commented.

Zahra shrugged while Amasa chuckled lightly. "I'm no ordinary human," she smirked. "Besides if I can't cook then I eat the food raw. As long as I get fed I'll survive."

"Yes, Zahra has been eating raw meat since she could chew. Actually she taught me how to catch rabbits, but I taught her how to catch large game," Amasa grinned triumphantly.

The dogs looked at her with new appreciation in their eyes, Zahra shrugging as she wiped the blood from her mouth and on the knife on her cloak before looking around. "… Then let's catch a few more hares. There are more dogs at home, right? We can't let them starve." That was their initial intention, but since Zahra said it a few of dogs chuckled. She let them lead the way, but by the end of the night she and Amasa were leading the group. Even if she hadn't been in Egypt for a while she has been hunting for years now. There's nothing she hasn't tried to kill yet… except perhaps bugs. She wasn't fond of them. Too crunchy.

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! #$%^&*()

Zahra followed right behind the pack, sneaking through the rocks before concealing herself behind a large tree. They were following a herd of gazelles that had passed too north for the wild dogs to attack. They had missed the villages by several miles, but that didn't mean the pack would let the herd go by without taking down **at least** one gazelle. She took out a bow that she had by her side, the quiver full of arrows tied on her back. They were discussing how she could help and they decided Zahra would be in charge of taking the herbivores down from a distance, giving the dogs just enough time to run in and kill a few of them. At the moment they were drinking at the river, but they were close to a town that was probably many leagues away from the villages. Oh well, as long as they get food. Perhaps Zahra can steal a horse or two to help carry the meat, but right now they have to take some down before they start galloping again.

She waited for a signal and strung her bow, continuing to conceal herself in the rocks till she got up on the ridge. She pulled and aimed, seeing a nod from Amasa and letting go of the arrow. All at once chaos commenced. One gazelle fell dead, the arrow through its neck, and the herd took off as fast as it could go. "Damn," she mumbled as she slid down the rocks, stumbling to her feet and chasing after the pack as they chased after the herd. A normal human couldn't possibly keep up with the animals, but Zahra used a spark of her magic to quicken her pace and catch up with the pack. "They're heading for the town."

"I understand that," Amasa snorted, "but we have to take a few more down."

"I'll try to lead them away," she told him, gaining speed and running as fast as she could till she was entering the center of the herd. They were too startled to notice her, Zahra evading the out of control beasts if they began to stagger and ran for the leading gazelles. Going as fast as she could she grabbed the horns of the front beast and jumped on, the gazelle letting out a startled whine as she rode him. Her eyes widened, they were only a mere feet away. Thinking fast she gripped the horns hard and slammed the beast into the ground, Zahra toppling to the ground too.

The animals either evaded them and went around the walls or jumped over them and dashed into the town. The gazelle was yelling at Zahra to let him go, but if the others didn't get enough meat she couldn't afford letting the beast go. With one swift swing of her dagger she sliced the beast's neck, blood dripping all over her body as she let the last remaining gazelles jump over her before laying on the ground panting for air. "Master are you alright?" Amasa whined, pressing a hand to Zahra's shoulder as she lay on the ground with her eyes closed and blood dripping down her face.

"Y-yeah I'm fine," she told him, though her head was spinning and she could barely think straight.

Amasa grabbed the end of her cloak and pulled her from under the animal, Zahra letting out a hiss as she felt her side sting. "Did you get hurt –"

"No, that's from something before this," she explained and the dog helped her up, Zahra looking around to find the pack dragging another gazelle to them. "… Will this be enough?"

"We wanted to bring some to the humans, but we couldn't this time," Amasa sighed.

"I thought you said –"

"We do what we can," he told her, "but not much. This attack we can only take enough for ourselves –"

"Then give me a moment," Zahra responded. The dog growled as Zahra jumped away, dashing down the streets to see if there were any straggling gazelles. Sure enough there were two running around, large enough for a few people from the villages to eat from. She strung her bow with two arrows and let them fly, killing the beasts instantly without too much of a struggle. She took out her dagger and cut into their throats, making sure they were dead before dragging them away. Then she noticed a cart attached to a mule, dragging the bodies over to the cart as the mule neighed and tried to jump away. "Hey calm down," she whispered to the mule, patting the animal on the nose before smiling and continuing on with her work. Zahra worked quickly, throwing the bodies in the back before taking the reins and smacking the mule on the side. "… Come on go. Go you lazy ass!"

"Hey what the –"

"Get going!" she yelled at the mule and smacked it with a stick as hard as she could, the mule neighing and taking off through the streets. "I'll return him later!" Zahra called to the man who was yelling and cursing at her, grabbing the reins and guiding the mule through the streets till they made it to the entrance. Immediately they threw the other two bodies in the back, Zahra yelling at the mule to get going as they took off back into the desert for the last body. "Five… not a bad raid," Zahra chuckled lightly as she threw the last body in the back before taking a seat on the edge of the cart and gripping the reins hard. "I'll guide this mule back to your cave."

"Four of you keep watch for threats and the rest will head back with some meat for the pack," Amasa explained and ushered four of the dogs to follow her. Zahra nodded and used her dagger to cut up several pieces of meat off of one of the gazelles, letting the dogs do as they like with the meat as she got the mule going and they began to run through the desert. She knew the people will try to follow them, so she told two to stay at the back and watch for intruders while the other two ran alongside her and they made their way back into the rocks of the desert.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

With Chigaru's help Baruti and Maskini had escaped the palace. By now no one would care less if they lived or not, but Baruti knew that they couldn't stay and had to escape as soon as possible. They had gone south to escape the pharaoh and were biding their time till they could return back to one of the encampments. As always Maskini was the first up that morning, getting the other man food and drink and while he was still sleeping. While Baruti was sleeping, Maskini decided to go off to the streets and look at the town. No one seemed to be awake this early, the moon still high in the sky while the sun was barely rising over the horizon.

It had all happened in a flash. One moment the morning was starting off like any other day, and the next there were gazelles running through the town and a pack of wild dogs chasing after them. Before Maskini could react Baruti pushed Maskini to the ground, covering the boy against a wall as the gazelles passed by. Maskini closed his eyes and covered his ears, but Baruti looked up and watched in awe at a woman running past them before crouching down. Either she didn't notice them or she didn't care, but Baruti's eyes widened as he saw the bright green glow coming from under the black hood the woman wore over her face. "Skia Diana," he gulped quietly to himself, pulling the frightened Maskini away as she let her arrows fly and she strung a couple of gazelles with ease.

Maskini looked up confused, noticing the horror on the elder's face as he pulled him through the side streets till he knew they wouldn't encounter the creature. "Baruti what –"

"Boy, right now you need to learn to **shut up**," he snarled, Maskini gulping and noticing the man's temper as he looked behind before ushering the boy to follow him. Obediently Maskini followed till they made it to the other side of the town. They snuck into a nearby stable and stole two horses, but with the commotion that was rising on the other side of the town no one noticed them galloping away in the opposite direction.

"S-so what happened –"

"What happened is none of your concern," Baruti grumbled under his breath. "The only thing you need to know is to not get caught by the pharaoh's guards. We're just lucky we have someone on the inside."

"… Will Bakura be mad –"

"Did you tell them something you shouldn't have?" Baruti eyed him suspiciously.

"N-no –"

"Good. I wouldn't want to have to kill you too," he snorted and ushered the horse faster, the horse bolting into a gallop with Maskini following behind him.

"But I don't understand who that was –"

"That, my boy, is a succubus and a witch and a person you should never associate yourself with," he huffed.

"How do you know –"

"I saw her several times when I traveled to Greece," Baruti sighed, "and she killed several men I was associated with…"

"She?" Maskini looked at him confused, letting a snort escape his mouth. "Wow. A girl? –"

"She's no girl," Baruti snarled, "she's a **monster**. She calls herself a thief, but yet she has powers that even surpass the mightiest of gods. I've seen her slay many powerful creatures; I had to follow her too. Just… just don't tell Bakura about this. I haven't told anyone, but since you saw her you should know what she is too."

"Y-yes sir," Maskini nodded, looking away and back at the dust that was disappearing in the opposite direction then them. He sighed and shook his head. Baruti was right. That person did seem off, he could tell just by her stance and how she held herself. Yet Maskini couldn't think a woman was bad… evil… but hey he had only been with this band of thieves for only a year. He knows their king has a monster he had never seen before so perhaps this woman has one too, but that doesn't mean a person is bad. He knows that from meeting Bakura. He saved him after all. Maskini looked up and noticed that Baruti was getting farther and farther away from him, the youth letting out a yelp as he cracked the reins in a desperate attempt to catch up.

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: And… end scene! XD I hope you enjoyed this. There was a bit of back and forth from dreams to characters, but it was a way to get this story rolling. Wow. Zahra can hunt. Wouldn't have figured that out with one of her nicknames being the Shadow _Huntress_ XP Well that's it. If you have any questions or comments don't be afraid to review. SEE YOU LATER!**


	16. The Deep Loyalty

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: And now here's another chapter! =D This is mainly filler stuff. Just so we can get to the raiding already X3 Thank you to everyone who reviews! And any new followers I have ^^ It's fun to listen to your guys comments, so don't be afraid to talk to me! =D As always, ENJOY!**

! #$%^&*()

The villagers looked up to find Zahra returning with two gazelle bodies in the back of a cart, the woman pulling on the reins and stopping the mule once she came into the center of the villages. "Ranpu what –"

"Khalifa, have you ever wondered where the dead animal bodies come from?" She smirked and gave the reins of the mule to Khalifa before pointing to two wild dogs. "They –"

"Demons!" Khalifa yelled, pulling out his sword and aiming it at the dogs.

The dogs snarled back, backing away and hiding behind Zahra. "My gods it's worse than I thought –"

"Why could you bring –"

"This pack helps you survive Khalifa," Zahra snorted and knelt down to one of the dogs, running a gentle hand through his fur with a smile on her face. "If they bring enough game home to their families they give some away to you, humans."

"… How can we trust your word –"

"Amasa," Zahra called in a stern voice, the black dog showing up from behind the cart and walking over to her. She smirked at him and petted his head, chuckling lightly as he licked her cheek before the two of them moved away and looked to Khalifa with stern faces. "This is my dog, the leader of their pack. You have my word as his human companion that they'll continue to help you, if you help them too."

"Like –"

"For one, stop trying to hunt them down. Two, why not give **them** something every once in a while? They're starving too. Third, they offered to help you and us in our raid and continue to give you meat when they can if you promise to live in peace with them. That's all they ask, peace. No more fights and no more slaughter. Just civil, outright peace," Zahra finished, placing a hand on Amasa's head as he sat up tall and strong with the other two dogs following his actions.

"Yes," Khalifa nodded, "I will not argue with those terms. All I ask is how do you know what their demands are?"

Zahra smirked, Amasa panting before letting out a woof. "You sure –" She nodded once he gave her another reply and Zahra sighed. "Well I… I've always known how to speak to animals," Zahra shrugged. "It's easy really, though I don't know many who do. You just have to trust me on this Khalifa. I'm not the threat around here, alright?"

He sighed, "Fine Ranpu. Fine –"

"Now that we have everything in order," Zahra smirked and patted Amasa on the head, the dog standing up and following behind her, "I need to return to their pack for another night and make plans. We'll return and those young enough will be here to train with the rest of you. Hopefully it'll be enough." Zahra chuckled and left Khalifa without as much as an argument, the man grumbling under his breath and throwing the reins at the nearest person to him.

"Sir are you sure we can trust her –"

"We have no choice," Khalifa sighed, "and if these efforts will help with our survival then that's fine."

"Did you even know that the bodies –"

"I knew they came from somewhere," Khalifa smirked at him, "but I didn't know where. It was my worst judgment to assume the gods, but perhaps it's still safe to assume it is. This woman is a strange one. I've never come across a woman like this before."

"Iy'e sir," the other man nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's some goddess in the flesh –"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Khalifa snorted. "Goddess or not she's still a thief. I don't understand why it's possible for a thief to help us, but if it'll help us in the long term then so be it."

! #$%^&*()

"Wait! So… I'm a member of your pack?" Zahra looked at the dogs questionably, sitting in the damp sand with her legs one on top of the other.

"Yes human," the elder dog snorted, sitting down tall and proud trying to stare Zahra down. "I can't thank you enough for taking down those gazelles. This should sustain us till the next herd."

"You're welcome –"

"But sir I don't understand –"

"Keep your tongue in your mouth," the dog snarled, the younger dog backing away obediently with his tail between his legs. "I also heard that we have to help the humans?"

"In exchange for our services they will be helping us too," Amasa explained, looking over at Zahra with a smirk. "Zahra talked to them and arranged everything. We'll bring some men back with us and we'll train alongside the humans."

"What exactly is supposed to happen –"

"We will be going on a raid to Thebes, about thirty miles away from here. The money we steal will benefit the whole village. They promise to give you whatever you need for your service –"

"We can't trust them," the elder dog snorted. "They're humans –"

"But can you trust me?" Zahra stared him down, the dog sucking in a lot of air through his nose while glaring back at her. Then he snorted and nodded, Zahra smirking and continuing. "Look, this is a matter of diplomacy. There are good people there and there are good dogs here. I'm just here as an intervener and I wish that there will be peace. That's all I'm really asking here." Zahra sighed, standing up and running a hand through her hair. "Perhaps it's not my place to argue, to expect that man can live with animals and visa versa, but can't the two halves just… just try to live in peace?"

"Zahra's right," Amasa nodded and stood up on all fours. "I was saved by her family when I was less than a few days old. They didn't have to feed me, they didn't have to raise me, but they did. I owe Zahra and her family my life," he smiled, looking over at the woman as she smiled back, "and I know there are other cases where animals have decided to live among the humans and be at peace, even defend them. You don't have to believe the woman, but I will. I owe her too much and the fact that she's back… well I need to do what I can." He chuckled lightly, walking over to Zahra with his head looking down and nudging her in the leg. "There's a thing called loyalty. My pack is secondary to Zahra and for that I am sorry."

"Amasa –"

"Yes, I'll call her my master alright? –"

"But she abandoned you –"

"I left and that was my decision," Amasa snorted, looking at the elder man and snarling at him, "and Zahra respected that. I don't think there are many humans out there that can even talk to us. With her she's been speaking to me since she knew she could. When she was a pup… Look, Zahra had her reasons of leaving, but I wished to stay here in Egypt. That's why I'm here… that's why I stayed." He smiled over at Lilith before turning his attention to the other wild dogs. "This will be our decision to help them, but we have more to gain from this agreement then to lose. How about we sleep on this? Zahra will go back to her species in the morning and those who want to go can. What do you say?"

"I say this is the biggest piece of meat you can rip into chunks," the elder dog snarled, "but so be it." With those words the meeting was adjourned, the dogs commenting to themselves as Zahra let out a sigh and turned to walk through the dark caves alone.

Amasa looked over at Lilith and she gave her a nod, the dog catching up with the human as she walked through the caves aimlessly without any destination in mind. "… Would you like to talk about –"

"Amasa… those words… why did you talk about our pasts?" Zahra sighed, sitting down on a nearby rock and looking at him with a pout.

"I didn't know you'd be angry about that," Amasa chuckled, walking up to her and setting his head down on the rock, staring up at her as a whine escaped his throat. "What's wrong?"

"You never told me I could speak to you when I was a child," Zahra groaned and set her head back, letting her back rest against the rocky wall behind her as she closed her eyes. "Amasa… if you were with me for so long doesn't that make you thirteen or something?"

"Actually I'm twenty two," Amasa smirked and jumped up on the rock, nuzzling his face into her lap as he rolled over exposing his belly.

"Twenty two?!" Zahra shook her head as her hand subconsciously began to rub his stomach. "That's impossible!"

"Haven't I told you nothing is impossible?" Amasa chuckled, licking her hand before rolling back over and lazily sprawling on her lap and resting his feet on the other end of the rock. "… I don't know Zahra. For our kind, we're supposed to have died around the age of nine… in the mind of humans I guess. I'm older then our elder actually," he smirked, "but I say I'm about four."

"… That makes no sense –"

"It doesn't have to," he snickered under his breath. "I don't understand it either! I seem to age like a normal human… sort of. I'll explain. By the time you were one I actually still looked like a pup and didn't age into a full adult till you were four. When you were three you would speak to me as if I were your friend. I didn't realize that you knew what I was talking about till you were much older. You should know by now that some things just can't be explained. Your powers or why I'm still alive is those aspects –"

"I know," she sighed, "but I wish I did… Do you think the pack will join us?"

"I hope so," Amasa chuckled before lifting his head. "Oh yes I almost forgot! I have a young boy of mine, Kalil is the name, and he wishes to go out into the world –"

"Let me guess, you want me to take him with me?" Zahra looked over and smirked at him.

"If you don't mind," he licked her hand and let out a pleading whine. "You don't have to, but I want to make sure you're taken care of –"

"The boy will have the train," Zahra told him in a rough voice.

"I know –"

"And he'll have to listen to me," she huffed. "I'm a tough master and you know that."

"Yes I know," Amasa laughed. "It's just… the boy keeps asking to leave and no one wants to leave with him. Honestly the rest of the pack wants to get rid of him and I've talked to him about this. I just need your consent and his agreement –"

"We'll see how he fares at our raid," Zahra explained and closed her eyes, "but right now let us rest."

"Yep," he sighed and closed his eyes, "let us rest…" Zahra smiled and ran a hand through the dog's fur, Amasa grinning back and nuzzling into her stomach. No one dared to disturb them, noticing how calm and content the pair was with each other as if they were meant to be together.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

_Amasa sighed, curling up into a tight ball next to Zahra's leg. She giggled, punching the boy next to her on the shoulder. "Mosi you idiot!" She laughed, "It's in the shape of a snake. See~~?"_

"… _Nope. Don't see it," he snorted. "Damn it Zah, I don't see any of this!"_

"_It just shows how much of a dolt you are," a boy next to him smirked, laughing as Mosi punched him in the arm._

"_That's not funny!" Mosi yelled at him and threw his arms up in the air._

"_Mosi, Boma, calm down will you?" a girl sitting between the two boys punched them both on the head before shaking her head, Zahra smirking at her before sighing and setting her head down on the other boy next to her. "… Awww~ –"_

"_Don't even start Nee," the other boy snorted at her, Zahra giggling and nuzzling her nose into the boy's shoulder._

"_Ak don't be so mean," Zahra laughed. _

_Ak chuckled and kissed Zahra on the cheek. "Sorry love," he smiled at her, rubbing her arm with his thumb before pulling her closer to his chest. _

"_Look! The almighty Akef –"_

"_Shut up!" they all yelled at him, Mosi yelping and holding his hands in front of his face expecting to be punched as everyone looked at each other and began to laugh. "Oh gods! I miss this," Boma sighed and set his head against the sand._

"_Yep," Mosi nodded and lay down with his hands behind his head. "… We never see you guys anymore. It's always 'raiding this' and 'raiding that'."_

"_We're still friends Mosi," Zahra sighed and leaned in closer to Ak, "right Nee?"_

"_That's right," Nee giggled._

"_And besides boy, you'll be turning ten soon enough. You just need to be patient," Ak shook his head, Boma snickering as Mosi huffed._

"_Whatever Ak," Mosi sneered before smirked, "I'll just have to show everyone how great I am compared to you."_

"_I'd like to see you try," Ak snorted back, smirking when Zahra gave him a kiss on the cheek before nuzzling into the clothes he wore. "Besides," he sighed and took out the dagger he had hidden under his clothes, Zahra looking down at the dagger as the blade shined in the moonlight, "you take on a full responsibility when you start raiding Mosi. As the son of a leader, actually the first son for you, you have a lot more responsibility then you used to. They expect more, for you to be better than what you really are, and trust me it's hard to fit the image."_

"_Well all I know is that I'll be the best," Mosi smiled triumphantly at the sky._

"_No way," Ak huffed, "I will –"_

"_Nah I think I will," Zahra interrupted them, the two boys looking at her as if she was crazy as Boma and Nee giggled at her comment. "Hey why not? I can be just as great as anyone else!" _

"_That's true," Mosi mumbled and looked away, rubbing out the blush that was threatening to invade his face. _

"_Then you'll be my queen," Ak spoke to her quietly, barely enough for the others to hear, "and I'll be the king."_

"_Oh?" Zahra huffed. "Queen? I think I'd rather be your goddess~"_

"_Fine," Ak laughed. "Goddess, queen, whatever~! –"_

_They paused, suddenly hearing something coming over the sands. The group quickly looked up, Amasa standing right to his feet and snarling at the approaching sound. "… Guys what is that –"_

"_I-I think we should go back to our families and wake them," Zahra stuttered, pulling away from Ak but stopped when he gripped her hand hard._

"_Zah what is the matter –"_

"_Those men don't seem like our kind!" Zahra tried to explain, Ak looking down at Amasa as he barked at him before snarling at the sound of hooves pattering across the sand. "I don't know what's going on Ak, but I can feel some strong dark magic on them… I-I think they want to kill us. I can tell by their souls. They seem… possessed."_

"_Kill us!?" Mosi yelped, quickly silenced by Boma's hand as Nee whimpered and held her hands to her mouth trying not to scream._

_Ak sneered and glared into Zahra's eyes. "Are you sure –"_

"_I'm sure," she huffed, "and the sooner we finish this up the faster we can warn the others."_

"_Right," Ak nodded, letting go of Zahra's hand as he walked over to the other kids and ushered them away. "Go back and warn as many people you can. Zah, I don't know what you can do, but try to do something."_

"_Yes sir!" Everyone nodded, separating from each other as they dashed down from the rocks and into the a village that was settled in between a crevice of rocks. _

_Amasa was right on Zahra's tail as they dashed towards the other side of the village, Zahra yelling into any open window she could find as they ran. The black dog snarled as he noticed the humans approaching, stopping in hopes of defending his master from these thugs. "Amasa what are you doing!?" Zahra yelped, dashing back to the dog as he jumped at her and snarled. "A-ama –"_

"_Kid you need to get back to your family," Amasa huffed and growled back at the horses about to enter the village. "Trust me, we'll see each other again."_

"_But –"_

"_Go!" Amasa growled, Zahra yelping and taking off in the direction she was running in. Amasa let in a deep breath before sighing, closing his eyes as he scratched the ground with his nails and crouched down low to the ground. He had to give her enough time to get back home, he just had to. The dog growled and jumped up onto a horse, knocking the man to the ground and ripping at his clothes. The horse neighed and took off in the opposite direction, chaos beginning to unfold as the men began to slash and burn the homes around him. He bite at the man's throat making sure he was dead before dashing off towards another man, jumping down on him and shoving him to the ground releasing the horse from the human's bounds. "Tell me what's going on!?" Amasa barked at the horse. _

"_They're the pharaoh's guards," the horse neighed, lifting his hind legs up, "and they're possessed!" The horse took off and Amasa snarled, attacking the guards and shoving them to the ground hoping the humans would wake up to save their own village. _

_He just hoped Zahra would be safe, will live through this even if he'll die in the process – "Take down that dog!" A priest ordered, the guards suddenly jumping upon him as he growled and bit down at the first man that jumped him. He grabbed hold of a man's back and was shoved away by another, slamming into a wall and quickly closing his eyes. He groaned, trying to open his eyes and noticing fire and people screaming around him as he went unconscious. _

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

Zahra and Amasa groaned, opening their eyes as sweat dripped down their brow and while trying to move their legs to get up. "… Did you have the dream too Zahra?" Amasa asked, noticing the fear in Zahra eyes until she shook her head and rubbed the hot tears from her eyes.

"Yes… yes I think so," she frowned before looking down at him. "… W-why did you never tell me about that?"

"Uhh, about what –"

"The pharaoh's guards? Did they… kill everyone?" Zahra pouted at him.

Amasa's eyes went wide and he jumped down. "No! No… damn it!" he snarled, "I can't tell you –"

"Your dream told me enough," she weakly smiled to him, running a hand over his head and starting to walk back through the cave. "Come on. Let's not dwell on the past right now. We have a raid to conduct." Amasa noticed the forced smirk on Zahra's face and he growled under his breath, shaking his head as he followed behind Zahra. He was weak! He shouldn't have been thinking about that night! Then he wouldn't have shown Zahra that part of her past… the part he promised to keep away from her. He sighed. He was going to have to explain himself later, he just knew it.

Zahra knew exactly where to go to meet with the other dogs, Amasa following behind her and stepping in front of her once they came to the meeting point. "We have agreed to help you humans," the eldest dog began, "but our young pups will be in your care. For every dog that dies you must give us tribune back. Can we agree on this?"

"What sort of tribune?" Zahra asked curiously.

"For every dog lost we get one hundred cubits of land from the humans. I think that's an agreeable cost," he explained.

"Okay," Zahra nodded. "I'll tell the leader of the human village about this."

"Good," the dog nodded back. "We'll lend you two dozen dogs to train. Amasa will be accompanying you back to the human village."

"Alright," Zahra nodded, shaking his paw, "you have my word as a thief that I'll keep every dog under my care safe from harm." Amasa and Zahra bowed and the others did too, parting ways as Zahra followed Amasa back out into the light. The sky was still dark, but they could see the sun appearing over the horizon over the sands. "… Do you think this is a good idea?" she decided to ask.

"I think it is," Amasa answered before looking over at her sternly, "but why are you doing this? There has to be more to everything then evil spirits and saving the villagers."

"… There is a book," Zahra told him, looking off in the direction of the Nile River, "called the Millennium Tome. The spirits are being held here because of the powers of that book and I have a feeling the book is connected to the Millennium items somehow. I need to figure out why and completing the mission I agreed to is the only way of doing so."

"What is the mission?" he asked.

Zahra sighed and shook her head, "The pharaoh that created the book is buried in those villages. He wants me to destroy all the villagers there and capture their souls to destroy the book, but I have a different idea in mind," she smirked.

"Oh?" Amasa smirked back, "Like what?"

"… You know how I have all those souls inside of me?" Zahra asked him, rubbing her chest as Amasa looked up at her and nodded. "Well I'll use all those instead," she explained, "because it seems there's an unlimited supply of dark monsters. I think that pharaoh will have all that he'll need and that will destroy the book. Plus I don't like the idea of humans having a book with dark magic inside… It can't be good if they do."

"It never is," Amasa snarled, Zahra looking down at him and raising an eyebrow as he let out a snort and turned around. "I can smell that the other dogs are on the other side of the rocks. We'll need to explain to them the situation."

"Like how I'll be talking human from now on?" Zahra snickered.

Amasa chuckled back, "Exactly Zahra… should I tell them that you can speak in the language of the gods too?"

"Nah," she shook her head and turned to follow him, "just tell them they should be expected to train, expected to work, and if any of them expect to be part of my team they'll have to work **hard** for this." Amasa nodded and once Zahra caught up to him they walked over the rocks to the other side, sliding and jumping down to land close to where the younger dogs were waiting for them.

! #$%^&*()

"Hey Jalila!" Zahra waved, the woman practically dropping everything in her hands to run at her and give her a large hug.

"Ranpu where have you been?!" Jalila gasped and shook her several more times before giving her another hug.

"J-just fine," Zahra groaned as she tried to pull away from her, "but how have you guys been Jalila? How's the training?"

"You know that merchant couple that had arrived here with you the other day?" Jalila asked.

"… Yes –"

"Well the woman, I think Canne is what she calls herself –"

"It's Cyanae –"

"She has been teaching us how to dance!" Jalila laughed happily. "Basir is my dance partner and we want to act as distractions together."

"Wait," Zahra held up her hand, "he won't be raiding –"

"Well there are a few men that don't want to," Jalila explained, "and would rather dance or play the music… or act as lookouts. Besides a lot of men are already going to raid, so Basir thought it'd be okay to be a dancer."

Zahra sighed before giving her a nod and a slight smile. "That's alright I suppose, if there's enough men who will be raiding. I'll need a tally of everyone who wants to do this, of course."

"Khalifa and the other elders are making the list now," Jalila told her, "and… Oh! That man named Dali is going around bragging that he taught you _everything~_ you know."

"Well," Zahra chuckled lightly, "Daleel may have taught me a **few** things, but not _everything~_ I know."

"Oh," Jalila pouted. "… Even if he did or not it's encouraged more people to learn to fight. He's actually been teaching everyone in your absence, his 'Weekend Session' training or something like that."

"Ugh," Zahra shook her head and rolled her eyes, "that thing is more like _**'years of training'**_ to me." Amasa snickered beside her as she looked down with a smirk, looking back at Jalila with a grin on her face. "Let's not keep the others waiting."

"By the way," Jalila mumbled under her breath as Zahra began to walk past her, "what are these dogs doing here?"

"They're going to help us," Zahra explained, Jalila looking at her wide eyed as Zahra chuckled and Amasa smirked and snorted at Jalila confidently. "I got their pack to agree to help us, provided that the people here help them in return."

"Of course!" Jalila threw her hands up and laughed. "The more the merrier!"

When they came across the people fighting each other Zahra raised an eyebrow, noticing Daleel throwing punches at a man and slamming him into the ground. She smirked, putting a hand out to stop the dogs from approaching as she walked over to them and kneed Daleel in the ribs. He gasped for air as the man quickly took advantage and threw his whole weight on him, Zahra laughing as Daleel snarled and threw the much bigger man off of him. "Hey what the hell –"

"Listen up everyone!" Zahra interrupted him, putting a hand over his mouth and shoving him off to the side. "Now this took a lot of cooperation, but I was able to convince a wild dog pack that lives only a few miles away to help us," she smiled ushered the dogs over.

"Those demons?!" a man from the crowd snarled.

"They're stealing all our food –"

They yelped as Amasa snarled back at them, Zahra patting him on the head and lifting one finger up in a swift motion to get him to sit up and stare at them with hard olive eyes. "How the gods can you do –"

"When I was young I left Egypt," Zahra began to explain, looking over at Daleel with a smirk before staring at the rest of the crowd, "and I left my dog behind. He, in a way of surviving, joined a wild dog pack. With his help I was able to convince his pack to help us, now you see where I'm coming from?"

"But why should we let them –"

"They have actually been helping you," Zahra continued. "If they have enough meat they'll go out and kill a couple more animals for you guys to have. Haven't you ever noticed the strange appearance of animal bodies every once in a while?"

"… But that's the work of the gods –"

"Everything has an explanation Edjo," she told them, "and do you really think, after all the gods had _'done'_, that they'd start helping you now? Look, there are some things the gods do, but saving human lives by feeding them every month isn't one of them. What you need to thank are these wild dogs. They could have let you starve, but instead they've fed you. Now they're here to help, and you want to know why?" She paused for dramatic effect, pointing to the dogs when she continued, "Because they wish for peace! That the humans and the wild animals can live in peace with each other! The two of you have been on each other like cats and dogs and isn't it about time to put down your weapons and start cooperating?" Hearing the mumbles going throughout the crowd Zahra smiled with satisfaction. "As I was saying, they're here to train alongside everyone else. Dogs have a high sense of smell and sight. They'll be able to spot any threats from a mile away. Now I've already trained Amasa here in drills and exercises, but I figured we can have a few designated people who would like to train alongside the dogs and help train them. So?" She shrugged, "Does anyone what to?" The people looked at each other, scratching the back of their heads nervously and mumbling small comments that made Zahra frown. She snarled, "Don't make me threaten –"

"Miss?" A young boy asked, pulling on her cloak as everyone stared down at him. "C-can I?"

"Uhh… sure if you want Jai," she smirked and rustled up the boy's hair. "Now are you all weaker than a child or will we have to start picking lots, you babies –"

"I will!" someone raised their hand and stepped forward.

"So will I!" another said, walking over to the dogs as they barked and he backed away quickly.

Zahra chuckled lightly, "Good, but don't spook them like that," she snorted and the dogs loyally followed her, those who were brave enough to train with the dogs following behind her. Jai gently put a hand on a dog's head and he licked the boy's hand, Jai giggling and rubbing the dog's ears as he was smothered with licks. Amasa smirked as a few of the other dogs rolled their eyes, keeping up a tough demeanor as the adult humans tried to stare them down a few feet away from them. Zahra stopped and looked at them, Amasa doing the same thing as they shook their heads. "This is going to take a while Amasa," she snorted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You said it Zahra," Amasa also snorted, sitting down and letting out a sharp_** 'bark'**_ to get everyone's attention.

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: Now they're almost on their way! Only two more chapters till they start raiding the palace. I have to thank everyone who is reading this. Really I am! I'd lose interest if I didn't get comments and followers every once in a while ^^ Now you saw a strange past… hmmm… any ideas where Zahra may have come from? XD Anyways I've said this before, but if you guys have any OC(s) you'd like to see in this story go ahead and mention them. I love to put random OCs in this story (if you hadn't noticed) and getting some names from you guys helps move my story from one direction to the other. Here are some requirements though: can be male or female. Can have powers, but not too many XD Please have them a thief, merchant, traveler, or random Egyptian. A priest or part of nobility is fine, but I don't want too many of those, and I mainly keep this story with scenes from normal life… for normal people. Not so much nobility. I only glance at them if I need to XD And that's really it. Please don't give me an OC that doesn't belong, like her/his name is Japanese even though this is set in Egypt. Actually if you can convince me of say a Chinese merchant that traveled down the Silk Road and wandered in Egypt then that's an idea! =D just have fun with it! And now that I'm done saying all of that, I'll have to finish with a SEE YOU LATER!**


	17. The Saving Grace

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Okay guys. This may be my last chapter for a couple of weeks. I'll be on vacation (road trip to Canada. Woot! =D) and I don't know if I'll get WIFI connection or not. So just assume I won't post another chapter till I get back from my trip, which will be on the 20th ^^ I may not post anything on that date, since I'll be busy with school, but once again we'll see. And, of course, if you guys have OC ideas don't be afraid to comment. I really don't mind! It's nice to have some other OCs because I'm ALWAYS making up names for those characters… yep that's really it. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

! #$%^&*()

"_Sooooo~_… Do you think everyone will be ready for tomorrow?" Daleel gave Zahra a devious smirk and rustled up her hair, Zahra letting out a startled yelp as Cyanae laughed at them. "HEY YOU –"

"Yes they'll be fine!" Daleel laughed and let go of her, not without giving her a quick kiss on the lips first.

"Ugh! Daleel knock it off!" Zahra snarled and flopped over, Cyanae grabbing her by the waist and pulling her next to her side.

"You two need a chill pill," Cyanae snickered, poking Zahra in the side as she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "You'll be helping me with the distraction, _right~?_"

"Sur – Wait, what?!" Zahra turned her gaze over to Cyanae and pouted. "I'd rather be raiding –"

"Oh come on! You'll be a **great** distraction, and I found this perfect outfit –"

"No," she huffed.

"But –"

"Cy no! –"

"Oh we can find some time for you to raid," Daleel laughed and tried to rustle up her hair again, Zahra jumping to her feet, kicking him away, and creating a safe distance between them and her.

"It's not that," Zahra snorted and brushed the dust from her dress, "I-it's just that –"

"There's something there you want, huh?" Daleel smirked, Zahra nodding as Cyanae sighed.

"Well I suppose I'll let you off the hook –"

"Why not distract, then raid, then distract some more, and then raid some more. That way everyone's happy!" Daleel laughed happily.

"But –"

"Great idea!" Cyanae clasped her hands together and giggled. "You go tell that leader boy that."

"But –"

"I think it's about time we get to sleep," Daleel stretched and yawned, jumping to his feet and helping Cyaane up. He chuckled as they walked past her and was triumphant in rustling up her hair, Zahra snarling and yelping as they both laughed at her. "See you in the morning Zahra," Daleel let go of her hair and winked.

Zahra huffed and watched them leave, trying to fix her hair before letting out a sigh and walking in the opposite direction. She walked over to the rocks and sat down, sighing again as she stared up at the night sky and ran a hand through her long black hair. If the plan worked these villages will have enough gold to last them a generation or two and they can free themselves of their curse. "Perhaps I was sent for a reason," she sighed, placing her hands over her chest and closing her eyes while her head sat against the rocks. Her mind began to wander to Amasa's dream. She mumbled under her breath, trying to get some shut eye before tomorrow –

"M-miss human?" came a voice next to her, Zahra squinting an eye open before sighing and resuming back to her relaxed position.

"What's up Kalil?" she asked with a _**'bark'**_, Kalil letting in a gulp as he took a few more steps towards her before stopping and sitting his butt down.

"W-well I'm a bit nervous," he explained, "I mean, we've been working for a week or something on this, but I don't think I'm ready to **lead** a group –"

"Kalil of course you're ready," she smirked and sat up, rubbing her eyes and letting out a yawn. "Let me tell you something, you're **just** as dimwitted and annoying as your father."

"But –"

"That's a good thing my boy!" Zahra laughed. "Whenever you jump at someone to attack, what do you think about?"

"That… I hope they don't get hurt –"

"What about another animal?" She woofed, "Or better yet a rival pack or even a predator. What do you think then?"

"That… that they need to die and if I don't kill them they'll hurt my pack," Kalil thought.

"Well then, you shouldn't have anything to worry about," she smirked. "When I give the command to attack or defend, that means you're **attacking** or **defending**. Think of the opposing human as a predator. They're there to kill you and if you don't kill them then they'll end up killing you. Plus, if you don't kill them they'll kill your pack. The humans here **are** you pack Kalil, or for the moment at least. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I-I think so –"

"If you're still feeling hesitant it doesn't hurt to stay up," Zahra smirked at him. "Take a walk by yourself. Clear your head. Trust me, even only a few hours of sleep can help if you're feeling nervous."

"Thank you miss –"

"It's Zahra," she told him.

"Zahra… T-there's something else I'd like to ask you," he gulped and stood up, beginning to pace back and forth.

"Yes –"

"Since I was a pup I've heard stories of my father roaming the desert with his human companion," Kalil began, "a-and I was wondering, if… since you're that human… I-I'd like to roam the desert too and have my own adventures! Yes! But no one wants to come with me… and I'd be a lone dog otherwise… So I was thinking –"

"Your father explained to me the situation," Zahra told him, looking over at him with a smirk when his face suddenly turned pale.

"H-he did –"

"I told him that I'm thinking about it," she explained, "and you'll have to prove yourself. I just don't want **any** companion Kalil. I need a tough, gentle, strong and courageous dog to follow me. You'll be competing for your father's old job, of course. You'd have to prove you're at least as good as he, if not better, to come with me."

Kalil frowned turning his head away, "O-ok… I guess that means –"

"That means you have to prove yourself," Zahra repeated herself and stood up, stretching her arms before walking over and rubbing his head. "Look Kalil, I can see that you're a great dog, but if someone is to follow me I can't be taking care of them and worrying about them every second of every day… just wondering, what has your father said about me?"

"That you're _always~ _creating trouble and there are these ghost things that follow you –"

"They are souls of the damned or lost souls," Zahra chuckled lightly to herself before sighing. "Ever since… since I can remember, souls have been following me and telling me to do this or that. Sometimes I listen to them, other times I ignore them. Depends on the situation I suppose and their demands. There's just a few that I won't do."

"Like what?" Kalil asked her, his eyes widening as he sat down and waited for Zahra to continue with her story.

"I won't terrorize the innocent," Zahra told him, "or kill the innocent. I won't draw their anger to fuel my own. If I am to follow up on their situations it has to be for my own reasons, not theirs. For example this raid is to benefit the **living** villagers, not the dead. Plus there are other details, which support my reasons for agreeing to these spirits of AmAuNet… I'm tired Kalil. I'm twenty two and I've been on the run for about… seven… or maybe eight now. Either way, conquering evil spirits and helping the good is starting to take its toll on me. I need a break Kalil, but if you'd like to come that's fine by me. I know I'll still be on the run from my demons for many more years."

He gave her a weak smile. "That's… that's a long time."

"Your father didn't want to come with me for a reason Kalil," she explained. "I never wanted to go back, but I thought my family was in danger so I did. It's not their fault… but I've been running away from my nightmares ever since I knew who I was. I don't know. I'd love to settle down and raise a family, but it seems that the gods just don't want me to rest."

"… Well then," Kalil coughed and began to back away, "I think I'll take your advice and go on a little walk. Thank you."

"No problem," she smirked and gave him a nod as he walked away, sitting down against the rocks with her butt on the sand and sighing as she curled up with her black cloak around her body and tried to get some sleep –

"Settle down, huh?" Amasa chuckled and sat down beside her, setting his head down on the end of her cloak and looking up at her head as Zahra shifted to look over at him.

"I've been thinking that for a while now," she snorted and shuffled some more, trying to throw the large dog off of her cloak. "… By the way, what was that dream? You haven't explained to me anything about it. So?"

"… You shouldn't have seen that –"

"Well it's too late now," Zahra snorted, "so spill it! Tell me what happened. Did… did everyone die? Is that what happened?... Amasa _please~~_ just tell me! I need to know! You know how long I've been dwelling on the past? Ever since I have forgotten my past and didn't know who I was! And now you know everything and I know nothing, and you won't tell me what happened… _Amasa~_…"

Amasa pouted, "Look Zahra –"

"No more excuses," she sneered at him, glaring at him through hot jaded green eyes. "Tell me, **now**."

He gulped, noticing Zahra's glare and her sudden change of language from dog to the language of the gods. "… Okay I'll tell you," he sighed, "but if I'm smite –"

"I just need to know," she sighed and sat up, throwing the black cloak beside her so Amasa could lay upon it as she rubbed her eyes and tried to rub the redness that was starting to cloud her cheeks.

"… I don't want to lose you –"

"You won't," she huffed, "now tell me."

"… You had a live there, a family," Amasa explained to her, grabbing a piece of Zahra's clothing and pulling her onto the cloak. "You were an only child… and over time the villagers came to adore you. Actually you were a very good thief and wanted to be one of the greatest, but ever since that day…"

"What day?" Zahra looked at him, setting her arms underneath her as she stared straight into his eyes expecting an answer.

"… Life was normal that day," he sighed, "and only a few days ago you had gotten back from a raid. I wondered, as many did, if someone had betrayed them or a person working for the pharaoh had infiltrated the village. There was talk about this that day, but the children of the village barely gave the idea a second look. Instead of going home after dark you stayed out with your friends, and of course, upon your father's orders, I accompanied you wherever you went," he smirked. Amasa shook his head, Zahra looking at him with a frown growing on her face. "… You already saw the dream. I blacked out and when I came to… everything was gone," he whined slightly, letting out a snort to calm himself, "I'm sorry. I've never told anyone –"

"It's alright," Zahra nodded to him, Amasa nodded as he let out a sigh and continued. "I went back to your house and your parents were… dead…" He looked over at Zahra expecting a reaction, but all she gave him was a blank stare expecting him to continue. "Either people where dead or missing. Those missing I figured could still be alive. So I ventured away from the village, looking out to the desert and hoping to come across someone. I had high hopes that you were still alive, and your friends… and everyone that was missing. So many were missing… When I came across you I had already given up looking. It had been months and… well I knew then that if you were alive, even if your memories are gone, I can find the others," he sighed, "but I never really **did** find them. When I did they were…"

"They were what?" Zahra looked at him concerned, Amasa letting out a low whine and pushing his nose into her cloak.

"Ghosts! Dead! T-they never came to me… only you… demanding you a-avenge them," he looked up and pouted, Zahra looking away before letting out a snarl.

"I see…"

"I couldn't tell you who they were, they promised me not to… and if I did they said the gods would smite me… I-I'm sorry I haven't told you –"

"Amasa this isn't your fault," she sighed, pushing her face into the cloak and gripping the ends trying to keep herself from screaming. "Just… dead?"

"I'm sorry –"

"T-that explains so much, b-but still…" Zahra whimpered into the cloak, Amasa crawling closer to her and rubbing his nose in her hair.

"It's alright Zah," he said softly and licked her hair, "I'm here for you…"

Zahra looked up at him and sniffled, letting her eyes shed a few tears as she caught them in her fingers and wiped them away. "Thanks," she gave him a weak smile, grabbing him in a tight hug and burying her head into his long black fur. "W-without you… I would h-have never… gotten this… far…"

"I know," Amasa smiled, lifting his head and licking her cheek.

She giggled and wiped away the slobber, grabbing his face and kissing him on the forehead. "Without you, I would be the gods' bitch right now!" Zahra laughed heartedly, Amasa shaking his head and licking her cheek. "Hey you –" Zahra snarled, Amasa snorting and laughing at her as he continued to lick her face against her protests. She jumped him and grabbed hold of his back, Amasa letting out a startled yelp as he tried to jump away and she refused to let go. "Hah, got you now!" Zahra laughed triumphantly in Egyptian, trying to pin Amasa to the ground as he woofed back at her and jumped back onto her.

They rolled around in the sand and kicked up dust, laughing and shoving each other playfully as they fought and snarled at each other. Eventually Amasa lay down on the ground and snorted, Zahra following pursuit, flopping on top of him, and sprawling out on his back. "By Anubis, I've missed this," Amasa sighed, noticing Zahra's weak whimper and licking her ear.

"So have I," Zahra mumbled back, sitting up and giving him a kiss on the side of his face. She got off of him and laid back down on the black cloak, crawling underneath it and curling up to keep herself warm. She looked up and lifted up the cloak, silently inviting Amasa to crawl underneath and curl up with her. He smiled and complied, circling around before flopping down and letting Zahra's arms flop around him as she used his back as a pillow. "Maybe I'll have a good dream this time," Zahra mumbled under her breath, Amasa chuckling and licking her hair.

"We can only hope," Amasa sighed, curling up and letting Zahra sleep contently on him as she pulled her cloak closer to her body trying to get back to sleep.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra gripped the reins in her hands hard, pulling her black hood closer to her face to avoid anyone's gaze. The other villagers and twenty four dogs, twenty five counting Amasa, fell in behind her as they made their way to another town. Jumping onto the rocks she pulled on the reins and stopped the horse, the hoard of several hundred men and woman stopping along with her. "We'll split up from here," Zahra explained, looking over at four men and ushering them over. "Groups Beta and Delta will go by Djoser and up through the east side of the Nile. Group Gamma, you'll be taking Omega Chi and going through Menhit and up through the west side of the Nile. Groups Alpha, Zeta, and Omega Phi you'll be coming with me and we'll take the long way and loop through the desert before making our way to Ruhak. We'll meet in Sut two days from now at high noon. Anyone who doesn't get there in time is automatically kicked out of their group. Any questions?" She looked around, narrowing her eyes and letting out a huff. "Alright. Come on," she cracked the reins, the groups setting off towards their individual groups and gaining speed across the desert.

Zahra looked over, noticing Amasa and Kalil catching up to her before Gyasi showed up on the opposite side of her. "Thank you for taking my position as leader during the raid," she said bluntly, keeping her eyes on the approaching dunes.

"I-I still don't see why –"

She sighed, "Blame Cyanae and Daleel for this. They want me to join the Zeta group and I'd rather be raiding so… yeah."

"Heh," Gyasi chuckled lightly. "What do those two have that's so great –" He paused, hearing Amasa snarling while he had to grip his reins tightly trying to settle down his horse.

Zahra smirked, giving Amasa a wink before turning her attention back to Gyasi. "Well… you could say that without them I'd be dead by now," she told him bluntly, leering at him through hard jaded green eyes. Gyasi gulped, Amasa smirking triumphantly as Kalil _**'woof'**_ed and slowed his pace to make his way back to his group. Then Zahra laughed heartedly and cracked the reins, sending the horse into a full gallop and leaving the others in the dust as she gained speed and flew over the first dune.

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra mumbled to herself as she drank her beer, going over the calculations over and over in her mind and hoping the plans will go smoothly. "Hey," she heard someone say, Daleel setting his beer cup next to her as he slid down on a chair. "Noticed you're _all alone~_ in the corner again. What's up?"

"Nothing's **up** Daleel," she snorted, rolling her eyes and looking away with a huff as she drank her beer.

"… Yeah you're right," he chuckled lightly, "you must be sulking."

"No," she sighed and set her drink down, "I'm just thinking."

"Of what –"

"Of what ifs," she shrugged and looked over at him, "like… promises and death. You know the normal stuff."

"R-right," he laughed slightly. "You remember when I found you?"

"Like it was yesterday," she sighed and looked away.

"… You still haven't told me why you run away from Egypt," Daleel decided to comment, Zahra looking at him through narrow eyes before slurping down the rest of her drink and slamming the cup on the counter.

"That's none of your business," she growled at him and wiped the excess liquid from her mouth as she stood up. "… I'd rather not talk about it –"

"Okay I get it. Not talking about it," he snorted, "but sooner or later you will tell me. After all I was the one who found you. I could have just sold you as a slave, but _noooo~_ –"

"You treat me as one anyways?" Zahra huffed. "Call me a slave and have me **work** for you? Huh? The only reason why I have _**any~**_ respect for you is because –"

"What?" He huffed back. "I saved your life –"

"No," she shrugged, "I can take care of myself. It was something else you did, but that's not important right now. We're leaving at mid morn."

She turned to walk away, Daleel shaking his head and rolling his eyes as she glided out of the bar and into the empty streets. "And the things I've done for you," he snorted, drinking the rest of his beer in one large gulp before requesting for his cup to be filled.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

"_Come on people! Let's get these crates thrown into the wagons! We're running late!" Daleel looked up at the sun and snarled, noticing it had moved further along in the sky then he would have wished. Once everything was in order and the servants had situated themselves among the merchandise and wagons they took off, Daleel sitting in the back of one of the crates and looking out to the sea. He sighed, sniffing in the salty air as he heard seagulls flying overhead. He chuckled and tasseled up his raven hair, brushing the dust out of his hair before grabbing a nearby burlap sack and pulling out a handful of grapes. He had to admit, he loved his job. Going from place to place and selling whatever he may have grabbed in season, meeting all sorts of people on his travels, and secretly stealing from anyone who refused to pay his desired prices, which he'd say were reasonable. _

_All in all this was a good life for him, but now it was time for him to return back to his home in Athens. He had been away for about a year now and Daleel wouldn't admit this out loud, but he had been starting to get homesick. The hot, arid deserts of Egypt had been too much for him, but he was able to arrange a few items that he'll be bringing with him the next time he goes. Luckily for him he had several servants and he had a few people in mind that could take the trips for him while he rejuvenated himself back home. Well, he had some time before they made their way to the first of several towns along the way. Might as well see what he had brought with him once more. Daleel stood up, grabbing the side of the wagon so he wouldn't fall off, and stumbled towards the center of the crates. Sitting among them he sighed, cracking the top of one of the crates with his knife and looking inside. He smiled. Gold, jewels, and other sorts of jewelry were thrown into this crate. He pulled one of the items out, smirking at the shine and splendor that came from the desert dwellers. He wondered how those Egyptians fastened glorious items from practically nothing. A few blacksmiths will love to see the sorts of new ideas the ever expanding country of Egypt is making. _

_Throwing the jewelry back into the crate he sealed the lid closed, setting his sights on another crate close by. He grabbed the top and pried the lid with his knife, but just then they hit a bump in the road and he was thrown towards the back of the wagon. Groaning, his eyes snapped open when his brown eyes came upon a young girl, soft tan skin and long black hair flowing in a mat behind her as she groaned too and looked up. Their eyes instantly looked wide eyed at each other, her jaded green eyes showing signs of fear as she began to whimper and try to push herself away. With lightning speed he grabbed her arm, refusing to let go of the girl as she began to scream. "Let go of me!" she cried out in Egyptian, the wagon stopping as the slaves began to gather around the wagon to see the commotion. _

_Daleel sneered, pinning her in place with his body and holding the knife up to her neck. Noticing the steel blade against her skin the girl stopped, looking up at him with frightened eyes. "We have a stow away, I see~~" he smirked, chuckling lightly until the girl snarled and began to struggle against him. "Get me rope!" Daleel ordered the slaves that gathered around them to do, a few scrounging around and grabbing a few pieces of rope before handing it over to Daleel. _

_With a slight struggle he was able to bound her wrists together and her legs, still holding her in place with his body. "Master, what should we do –"_

"_Continue on to Elpilampos. I'll decide what we'll do with the girl when we get there." Glaring down at the girl he noticed how developed her body was, a thirsty look starting to grow on his face. Shaking his head he grabbed her wrists and pulled her up, throwing her back into the crate as she screamed at him and tried to squirm away. He grabbed a piece of nearby cloth and tied it around her mouth, the girl mumbling at him as tears streamed down her face. Daleel smirked at her and her eyes widened in fear, her head being shoved down into the crate as he let out another order and they set out for Elpilampos._

! #$%^&*()

_Zahra whimpered in fear, tears continuing to stream down her face as she curled up into a tight ball and felt the walls around her shake while the crate was moved around by the wagon. She didn't know what was going on, how she ended up in a crate, but all she could remember was trying to leave Egypt. "I have to escape," she mumbled to herself, the tears refusing to stop as she sniffled and her mind went towards the family she left behind. Her heart hurt, the pain she was feeling after her brother called her a monster and a curse. How she was captured by the pharaoh's guards… how she had to escape or she'd suffer a fate worse than death. She wouldn't stop shivering, whimpering, and crying. Everything was just too painful to process in her mind. _

_From what she could recall, she had fled Egypt in only three days. How long she had been in that crate… well she didn't know. All she knew was that the man was speaking a different language, a language she only heard about from the merchants and sometimes among nobles. Mainly from the people with lighter and paler skin, though usually sunburn from their exposure to the intense sun. Zahra wondered if her family missed her, if Alexis was praying for her, or if Seto was regretting everything he said. Well she didn't need them!... But she regretted leaving Amasa behind. Sure, the dog wanted to stay, but she wished she had some sort of companion to keep her company. Especially now, now that she was captured and caught. For all she knew they were bringing her to be sold into slavery or to be… raped. Zahra shuddered at the word. No! Even if someone tried that again, Zahra knew the shadows would stop them. She just wanted to know what was going on with her, why these things were happening to her… Maybe she really **was** cursed. _

_She hadn't noticed how long they had been traveling till the crate was suddenly shuffled towards the front of the wagon and the wagon came to a stop. Then she heard the crates being shuffled around, the crate she was in being thrown to the ground and she let out an **'oof!'**. Zahra heard words being exchange, laughter being heard, but she just wished she could understand what they were saying. Maybe then she'd know what they planned on doing with her, but she knew she'd learn sooner or later and she wasn't looking forward to their plans. She let out a yelp as she was thrown out of the crate, the slaves around her laughing and taunting her as she stared at them with fear in her eyes. They began to grab at her, Zahra screaming as they cut off the pieces of rope and began to grab at her clothes. "That's enough! Back to work!" Daleel snorted, grumbling and shaking his head as Zahra stared at him uncomfortably. Then he gave her a weak smile, holding his hand out to her and expecting her to grab it. She only stared at him wearily and pulled the cloth from her mouth, Daleel sighing and running a hand through his hair. "We're taking a break for now," he told her in Egyptian, Zahra's eyes lighting up at the familiar language. "If you want something you eat you'll have to get out of the middle of the road."_

"_O-oh okay," Zahra gulped, refusing to grab his hand as she helped herself off of the ground and looked around. _

_Her mouth dropped, never before seeing such green rolling hills and sweet smelling air. "A lot better than Egypt, huh?" Daleel chuckled and looked out in the direction Zahra was staring at, the girl blinking in confusion before staring down at the ground embarrassed. "Now tell me, where did you come from and why were you in one of my crates?" He asked her in a less cheerful tone, Zahra keeping her gaze on the ground as she scuffed the bottom of her heel in the dirt._

"_I-I'm from Egypt," she told him simply, "a-and I ran away."_

"_Why did you leave? Too hot?" He laughed slightly._

"_No," she huffed, staring up at him with annoyed eyes before gulping and staring back down at the ground. "I-I… I just had to get away."_

"… _Do you have a family?" Daleel asked solemnly._

_Zahra sighed and shook her head, "Not anymore –"_

"_Well I suppose I'll have to take you along," he sighed and took a few steps away, Zahra's eyes widening as she quickly followed behind him and they walked over to a wagon. Daleel jumped up onto the wagon and grabbed one of the sacks, taking out a piece of bread and splitting it into half. "You'll have to learn Greek, of course. If not you won't be able to get far here."_

"_S-sure," Zahra nodded, her stomach starting to growl as she stared at the bread in his hand._

_He looked up at her hungry eyes and stared down at the uneaten piece of bread in his hand, smirking and handing it out to her. Her eyes lit up and she grabbed for the bread, the man pulling his hand away the last second and munching on that piece of bread with a gleam in his eyes. "Wait one moment," he snorted, "You'll have to work for me if you expect me to take you in."_

"… _Like what?" Zahra narrowed her eyes._

_Daleel smirked, "Right to the point huh?" He sighed, jumping down and popping the rest of the bread in his mouth. "Well… I have enough slaves for the merchant work… and enough women at home… how about you accompany me and you can… well do a little 'something' for me."_

_Zahra took a few steps back from him. "**No**," she told him sternly, spitting on the ground. "I'm not going to be someone's bitch! If you want a woman like that go to some harlot house! I'm not interested!" She growled and turned her back on him, starting to walk the opposite way down the road. _

"_And let me ask, how exactly will you survive on your own?!" Daleel called to her, Zahra stopping and turning her head slightly to glare at him through hard jaded green eyes. "Even if you **could** survive in the wilderness, you'll be branded a slave with that colored skin you have. You'll need a paper written by your master saying you're a freeman before you can wander Greece alone. And of course… if you don't… you'll be taken in by less grateful men then I," he smirked, Zahra giving him a low growl and then snorting. "… Look, you don't have to be a bitch, just… I don't know! What? You're still a virgin?" Daleel chuckled at the thought._

_Zahra looked down to the ground, a frown growing on her face, "… I-I really don't know –"_

"_You don't know?" He laughed, "How can you not know –"_

"_I just don't!" Zahra yelled at him, tears starting to stream down her face again. She quickly rubbed them away, grumbling under her breath as Daleel simply stared at her through hardening eyes. _

"_Girl, if you don't come with me I'm going to throw you to the authorities," he snarled, slowly taking steps to her as her eyes went wide and she started taking steps backward. "I'm done playing nice. Are you going to be loyal to me or not?"_

"… _P-please don't rape me," Zahra cried, holding her hands up to her face and started to cry. "Kill me if you must, but don't rape me –"_

"_Calm down will you?" Daleel sighed, stepping to her and hovering over her shivering body. He slowly put a hand on Zahra's shoulder, the girl flinching when she felt his hand and shivering more as he gently rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her down. "Okay fine," he huffed, "I'll keep my hands off of you, **for now**. Though if you still refuse to come with me I'll gladly throw you to my men." Daleel smirked, Zahra looking up through her hands with fearful eyes before looking back to the ground and continuing to sob. "They won't care about promises and such," he chuckled lightly, stopping when Zahra let out a frightful whimper. "… You can come with me till we get to Athens," he told her, turning his back on her and beginning to walk away, "but if you don't do me a service by the time we get there I'll just give you over to the authorizes, or better yet even rape you. Understood?"_

"… _Y-yes," Zahra weakly nodded, sniffling, rubbing her eyes, and then looking down to the ground. _

_Daleel blinked, sighing and tilting her chin up so they were staring eye to eye. He rubbed the tears from her eyes and gave the girl a weak smirk, Zahra blinking in confusion as he let go of her chin and their eyes continued to lock. "… What's your name girl?"_

"_Z-zahra," she told him, "Zahra Ranpu."_

"_Just know me as your master, Master Daleel," he told her, Zahra nodding and following behind him as she hung her head in defeat._

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**A/N: Yep! We have a flashback now! And don't worry. The next couple of chapters they'll be raiding. Just some background information of Zahra's past before we continue ^^ and more questions to be answered in later chapters ;D Well… it's about time I get going, so I'll just say… SEE YOU LATER! =3**


	18. The Faultless Life

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! So I had some time to write and review so I looked over this chapter. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I don't know how long this story will be, but for right now I haven't run into any writer's blocks. So we're good!... for now… Anyways I won't keep you from reading this chapter. ENJOY! =D**

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_Zahra sat in the back of one of the wagons, glaring at Daleel's servants if they stared at her or started talking about her. She pulled her knees up to her chest, only her eyes peering over her head and out into the valleys and hills they pass. This place may not be Egypt, but it'll have to do. She had to admit, she missed her family. Even if she's angry and scared of them she still misses Seto and Alexis. She just had to make sure she survives, even if it means those men will… she grit her teeth, feeling her stomach grumble. Zahra groaned, closing her eyes and trying to get rid of the rising hunger in her stomach –_

"_Okay we're here," Daleel said mainly to himself, Zahra looking up and her eyes widening in awe. Elpilampos was a beautiful little town in the middle of the hills, wilderness to the north that they will be going by next and vineyards surrounding the rest of the town. Once the wagon stopped Zahra jumped off and began to wander around, but was suddenly stopped by Daleel's hand as he glared down at her roughly and thought she was trying to run off. She glared back at the sudden anger he was radiating, being slapped in the face roughly before he grumbled under his breath and walked away. Knowing what he meant by his silence Zahra followed behind him through the town, refusing to rub her face and show any pain. She won't give them the satisfaction of weakness anymore. She was stronger than this! – _

_She paused, noticing the merchants selling exotic foods and the townspeople selling wine, grapes, and many other sorts of fruits, vegetables, breads, and meat. Zahra heard her stomach growl at her, this time causing her to shudder at how empty her stomach was. Maybe she should have packed something to eat before she left Egypt, but it was too late to think about that now. She closed her eyes, trying to suppress her hunger, but it only increased with every step she took behind Daleel. Her eyes darted around, surveying the area and the direction they were going in. If she was quick perhaps no one would notice if something was borrowed~ from their stand. Besides she had stolen for fun before, but never because she was extremely hungry and close to dying of starvation. As Daleel passed by a stand Zahra put her plan into action. She grazed her hand along a large pile of pomegranates, grabbing the nearest piece of fruit and slipping it into her hands. She quickly hid it under the belt she was wearing, also hiding the fruit under her arm as she hustled and caught up with Daleel. Looks like no one noticed, Zahra smirked lightly to herself, and now, if she was careful, she'll be able to eat for the first time in days, even weeks. _

_What she hadn't noticed was that the servant behind her had seen her steal. Zahra was too caught up in making sure that Daleel wouldn't notice that she hadn't anticipated the slave seeing her. He thought quietly to himself, wondering if he should tell his master or not. After all the girl did look frail, and she did snatch the food without anyone actually noticing… except himself, of course. She was desperate and he could tell she was, so he let the problem slip through his mind. That is, until she grabbed an apple from a nearby stand and slipped it into her belt. His eyes narrowed when he saw her do it again, grabbing freshly made bread and slipping it into her belt! He growled. If she did something like that again he'll have to tell Daleel, but for the rest of the walk Zahra didn't dare to take anything else. The servant sighed, walking into the tavern and watching as the girl was told to sit right next to Daleel. He sat at the bar, keeping an eye on the girl and wondering when she'll try to eat the food she stole. He was impressed that she wasn't greedily eating the food right now. Perhaps she was used to starving herself like this? –_

"_Orion, go take Zahra up to one of the rooms," Daleel told him, throwing him a key as the servant caught the object with one swipe of his hand and looked at the room number. "We'll be spending the night and I don't trust this girl right now."_

"_Yes master," Orion bowed, walking over to the girl and glaring down at her expecting her to move. She only glared back, the man grabbing her by the wrist roughly and pulling her to her feet. Zahra tried to squirm away from his grasp as Daleel only laughed at them, the slave grumbling under his breath as he shoved the girl up the stairs and towards the rooms. He looked at the key in his hand, trying to handle the yelling and squirming girl in one hand and opening the door with the other. Once the door unlocked he threw her inside, Zahra yelping as she was thrown to the ground while Orion walked into the room and closed the door behind him. "Sit," he ordered and pointed to the bed, Zahra sneering at him and sitting down on a chair opposite the bed. He shook his head and sighed, Zahra's eyes watching him intently as he slipped the key into one of his pockets and sat down on the bed. "Look kid," he pointed to her, his brown eyes glaring at her as she huffed and looked away, "I'm not a babysitter. Just settle down and start following orders –"_

"_I not slave!" Zahra spoke to him in broken Greek, glaring and pouting at him. "I am free –"_

"_Perhaps in your own country, but not here," Orion glared back, running a hand through his dark brunette hair and sighing again. _

_They sat in silence, Zahra staring and waiting for him to make a move. He only stared back, locking eyes with each other for what seemed like eternity. She noticed his large broad shoulders and tall stature, his messy dark brunette hair, and his hardened brown eyes. After a while she looked away, curling up on the chair and looking down to the ground. "… What… happen to me?" She tried to ask, Orion looking up from his trance and shaking his head._

"_You know kid, I don't know," he sighed. "… I noticed you grabbed some food. You should have that stuff now before Daleel comes up here."_

_Her eyes widened in shock, but she did as he told and took the three pieces of food out of her belt to eat. She ripped the bread in half and handed it to him, Orion shaking his head as she stared at him confused. Shrugging she ripped greedily into the bread, munched apart the apple, and slowly cut the pomegranate open to eat. She stared at it confused, grabbing one of the seeds and looking at it curiously, wondering if the seeds are edible. She had seen this fruit before, but was never wealthy enough to buy any for herself and her family. Orion shook his head. "That's edible," he told her, reaching over and grabbing the seed in her hand and munching on it. "Just don't eat the skin – Here you're making a mess," he chuckled, "hand that over to me."_

_Zahra looked at him hesitantly, but gave him the fruit. He smiled to her and took out his knife, cutting the rest of the pomegranate up and handing her one of the six halves. Then he set it down on the table, Zahra cautiously eating the seeds. Surprisingly they were delicious and sweet, her stomach grumbling happily as she ate up the seeds. "… How you know?" She asked, Orion raising an eyebrow before smirking at her._

"_I was standing behind you the whole time," he told her, her eyes going wide. "Will I say… you were too hungry to notice someone behind you?"_

"… _Y-es," Zahra nodded lightly, "… Thank for not t-elling –"_

"_Oh I'm going to tell Daleel," Orion smirked, hearing the whimper coming out of Zahra's mouth and his grin faded. "… Maybe not now though –"_

"_But when?" She asked him calmly, "I… I don't want…"_

"… _I overhead what he was saying to you and believe me he's a big softy," Orion chuckled. "He may not have the best pastimes, but he won't touch you without your consent."_

"… _How you… know?" Zahra asked lightly._

_Orion smirked, "I just do. Now finish up your supper and go to sleep." Zahra glared at him, narrowing her eyes and munching on the seeds roughly. "I'll watch the door," he chuckled, "and don't worry about anything. The only person aloud in here is Daleel and I'll wake you up if he comes in."_

"… _Okay," she consented, setting the rest of the seeds down and jumping into the bed. He moved away and sat on the chair, tilting the back and setting his feet down on the end of a drawer. Zahra kept her back to him, her eyes wide open as she whimpered quietly to herself. _

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_For Zahra, it was Orion who woke her up that morning and Orion who was keeping watch over her. She was stuck in the back of one of the wagons while Orion walked along side it, Daleel laughing with some of his slaves at the front of the caravan. Tired of sitting, Zahra jumped out of the moving wagon and walked beside Orion. "What are you doing –"_

"_Am bored," she huffed at him, "butt hurts."_

_He smirked and shook his head, the two of them walking along side each other as they entered the wilderness. "… How about I teach you some Greek along the way?" Orion advised._

"… _You know… E-egyptian? –"_

"_No," Orion chuckled, Zahra rolling her eyes, "but hey I never thought about learning before! How about I teach you Greek and you teach me Egyptian?" He held out his hand, expecting her to shake his hand._

_She looked at him wearily, sighing as she shook his hand. "Okay," Zahra nodded. _

"_Good," Orion grinned, grabbing her shoulder suddenly and shaking her happily. He left her stunned, Zahra's mouth dropping as her cheeks turned red. Snarling at herself and snapping out of her gaze, she dashed after the caravan and walked beside Orion. _

)(*&^%$# !

_Zahra sighed, sitting away from the group as they stopped for lunch. She knew no one was going to give her anything, so she stole bread before they left. Noticing a stream she slid down the hill and stopped at the edge of the water, taking out a container for water and filling it up. Looking up she grabbed a stick, throwing it against a tree and hitting the bark. Smirking she picked up a rock, doing the same thing over and over as she slowly munched on her food. "Hey kid," Orion smirked as he slid down the hill and landed next to her, "What are you doing?"_

"_Practicing," she said casually, throwing a stick as the end embedded itself into the bark of the tree. _

"_Nice shot," he chuckled lightly._

"_Thank," Zahra smirked back, throwing a rock and hitting the tree. "I… I use to practice."_

"_Why?" Orion looked at her curiously._

"_I practice… knives throw," Zahra thought about the word and nodded to herself. "I practice i-f I get…trouble. Parents from… well, I like fighting."_

"_Oh you do now?" Orion smirked. "I'll have you know I was a soldier in the army."_

"_You?!" Zahra's mouth dropped and she pointed to him. "But you so young –"_

"_We are trained in the art of fighting once we are old enough to walk," Orion explained. "I come from Sparta you see. I was in the army and our forces were captured. I ran away, but I was still a slave and Daleel caught me. He didn't turn me into the authorizes here so… so I sort of owe him my life," Orion chuckled lightly to himself, Zahra looking at him with a slight smile on her face._

"_See why you like him," Zahra nodded. _

_Orion's mouth dropped. "Are you saying we're –"_

"_No!" Zahra laughed. "I mean… see why… why you said that… earlier," she tried to explain, Orion only staring at her confused. She shook her head and stood up, throwing the stick in her hand and striking the tree one last time. "Should get back?"_

"_Yeah I guess," he sighed and followed her as they walked back up the hill to the others. "… You know kid, maybe I should teach you some moves too."_

"_R-really?" her mouth practically dropped._

"_Of course," Orion chuckled. "You have a lot of fight in you; you just have to channel it in the right ways." Zahra nodded in understanding, the man chuckling lightly and grabbing Zahra by the shoulder as he ushered her along to the other slaves._

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_Zahra groaned; the trip taking a lot longer then she hoped. They had been on the road for days and by that time Daleel had lost his attention on her. Good or bad she didn't know, but according to Orion they will be in Athens in another day or two. Now **that** was too soon for her. She had to do something or else Orion would give her to the authorities and she'd probably be sold to someone mean and gross… or worse than Daleel could ever be. She was glad that Orion was in charge of watching her, but she didn't like him having to tend to her. He didn't seem to like it either and would rather teach her how to fight, grabbing random sticks off of the side of the road and swatting at her as they followed the caravan. They walked into a village and Zahra followed behind Orion, following his every move and walking into a building behind him. He groaned, sitting at a bar chair as Zahra sat beside him. "Two cups of beer and keep the alcohol coming," he sighed, letting his head in his hand before looking at Zahra and wondered what she was thinking. "Are you okay kid?"_

"_Daleel says he sell me if I not help him… somehow," Zahra sighed, setting her head on the table and crossing her arms under her head._

"_Don't worry about it," Orion told her. "Even if you do nothing, if you pass under his radar he won't care what happens to you. You can run away or stay. It'll be up to you –"_

"_I left home for reason," she grunted into her arm. "If I want to go back would do by now."_

"… _Then what happened kid?" he asked, thanking the bartender as he gave them their beer and he pushed the drink over to Zahra._

_She lifted her head and sniffled in her arm, yawning as she gulped down the beer in only two gulps before staring off at the wall in a dreamlike daze. "… Something happen to family I not want to talk about," she pouted, "but to make long story short, they disowned me… I ran off, but before I leave I was taken by guards and…" She bit down on her bottom lip, shaking her head and sighing. Noticing her cup was filled she drank the liquid all down again, Orion wondering what had happened to this girl. "I not want to live in place where people hate me… fear me… I want home. I know that won't happen now, but it's a nice dream right," she smirked, grabbing her cup again once it was full and drinking down the alcohol. "So what about you?"_

"_Me?" Orion huffed, shrugging as he looked over at a wall. "Same thing I suppose. I joined the army and was failing in my studies. So my father disowned me and I stayed in the army to redeem myself. We were with war against the Athenians and we lost, as I said, and I met Daleel. That was a few years ago," he explained, sipping his beer and setting the cup down on the table. "I had a family I left behind, and at one point I was in Sparta by Daleel's orders. So I took a side route and went to my old cottage home, but I didn't find them."_

"_No one?" Zahra looked at him sadly._

_He sighed, "No one was there. I asked the locals and they said my family was caught up in a battle that destroyed their land and their lives. There was only one person who left, but they left as a prisoner." Then Orion chuckled, gulping the last of his beer and setting the cup down. "It was a little girl, about your age by now. She was my favorite sister, but the last time I had seen her she was only a few years old… but she loved me. She was one of the only people in my family who did. I don't know where she went, who took her, but I pray to the gods every day that I'll see her again," he sighed. "I just wish I knew what happened to her."_

"… _What's her name?" Zahra decided to ask, grabbing her cup and staring down at the pool of beer. _

"… _Lyra Abraxas," he told her, noticing the confused look on Zahra's face. "I figured you didn't know," he chuckled lightly, "but I'll be honest, you remind me of her sometimes. She had the same spirit that you do and I just wish…" He sighed._

_Zahra frowned, giving him a gentle past on the back and gave him a weak smile, "H-hey it okay," she tried to encourage him, "You see her again. You just have to… to… find her."_

"_I doubt that'll ever happen," he grunted. "I've been searching for five years now. There's nothing else to do –"_

"_I help!" Zahra grinned enthusiastically. "If I come across Lyra I tell you. Don't worry! She alive –"_

"_How do you know?" He huffed roughly._

_Zahra gulped, sitting down and twitting her thumbs, "I just do… okay?" Orion sighed. He knew the girl was trying to help, but there was nothing she could really do. He'll just have to continue his search for her, but at the moment he was running into dead ends. Zahra looked at her cup, the both of them grabbing their beer and gulping everything down till there was nothing left. Then Orion stood up and Zahra followed, the man putting money down on the counter and ushering the girl up the stairs and away from Daleel before he could notice them. _

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! #$%^&*()

_Zahra pulled out a pocket knife from under her dress, grabbing a stick Orion had thrown at her and began to sharpen it. She sighed; this was so boring! Miles and miles of wilderness, trees and lushes hills. After a while the scenery can get bothersome… and Zahra was getting homesick. She set the stick next to her and looked at the inscriptions, running a hand over every detail and every engraving. She had that knife ever since she was found. She had it strapped to her leg and never takes it off unless she's taking a bath or using her knife. It was her only connection to her past, except for Amasa. If she was going to find her past Zahra knew it'll be through this knife, but whomever she asked no one gave her a straight answer. Perhaps here in Greece she'll find an answer, find someone who can tell her what the inscriptions mean and maybe what tribe or village could have made this. All she knew was that the top of the handle had the symbol of Anubis, but there were other symbols that even priests couldn't figure out. _

_She'll have to come up with the answers herself, Zahra realized, and she'll have to start in Greece. She noticed out of the corner of her eye a creature, squinting her eyes as she saw a shadow graze across the tree tops. No one seemed to notice for they were too busy or too tired, but Zahra certainly did. She slowly grabbed the sharpened stick, noticing not one, not two, but a multitude of different shadows gliding in the trees. Zahra narrowed her eyes, keeping the dagger close to her body as she took aim with the stick. "Come on," she snarled under her breath, waiting for them to attack._

_Orion finally took notice of Zahra's behavior and raised an eyebrow. "Kid what are you doing –"_

"_HIYAH!" Zahra yelled, throwing the stick in the air and into the trees. Her battle cry caused heads to turn, Orion's eyes widening as a body fell to the ground with a **'thud'** and the monster hissed at them. Then the mob of creatures fell down upon them, trying to grab the humans as they were off guard and began to rip them apart. Zahra grabbed her dagger and let out a cry, jumping off of the wagon and slashing one of the creatures in midair. She ran towards the monster she had killed and took out the stick, throwing it and aiming for another creature. That one hadn't died, but it was stunned long enough for Zahra to strike its head._

_Chaos was all around her as the servants took out their weapons and began to fight the creatures back. Some fled seeing the fight lost, but a few stubborn creatures stayed to hopefully get a meal. Orion took out his sword and was one of the first to strike, embedding his sword into one of the creatures as they hissed at him and tried to grab his arms. As he pulled out his blade several jumped upon him, trying to rip at his face and bite off his head. He flung his sword around till blood soaked his body, Orion huffing and puffing as he looked around him and saw several men, along with the creatures, on the ground bleeding to death. He grabbed several of the ones he knew were alive and threw them into a wagon, looking around and wondering where the little girl had went. _

_Zahra climbed into the trees and slashed at the creatures, taking as many as she could down towards the ground as others fled. "It's a goddess! Run!" they hissed, escaping her blade as she fought them and tried to turn their attentions away from the group._

"_Pathetic!" she snarled at them, throwing a random rock at them and hitting one of the creatures in the head. Zahra was confused. For them to call her a goddess seemed odd, but then again they seemed like weak creatures in the first place. They probably didn't know the difference between a goddess and a simple human. She turned her head to the ground and her eyes widened, noticing only a staggering few on the ground as the remaining servants fend them off. Daleel was fighting for his cargo along with the others, but out of the corner of her eye she noticed a creature sneaking up on him. Thinking drastically Zahra jumped down from the trees, letting out a cry and shoving her body into the creature's._

_Daleel let out a sudden gasp when he realized the scene behind him, noticing Zahra on the ground trying to pin the creature and kill him. However the monster fought back, grabbing her neck and pinning her to a tree. "You die here, shadow spirit~!" he hissed at her, slashing into her stomach as Zahra let out a cry. Before the creature could strike again Orion stabbed it in the back, the monster's red eyes widening as it fell backward and loosened its grip on Zahra. _

_She gasped as the claws let go of her neck, felling to the ground and landing on the creature's stomach. "Zahra!" Orion cried out, pulling her body off of the creature and setting her face up on the ground. "Can you hear me?! Zahra are you alive!?" She only mumbled a groan, hissing in pain as he touched her chest. He growled under his breath and ripped his clothing, trying to wrap up her body to stop the bleeding. He noticed a knife on the ground and picked it up, seeing the engravings and figured it was of importance. Once he put the knife in his pocket Orion picked her up and carried her in his arms, following Daleel's orders and rushing the wounded with several other men in the wagons to the nearest town. Luckily for them they were only a mile away from the city of Athens, but that could prove to be too late for those who have fallen. _

! #$%^&*()

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_Zahra groaned, slowly opening her eyes and coming into contact with large cerulean eyes staring back at her. She let out a frightened yelp and sat up, quickly regretting her movement as the pain in her stomach became unbearable and she sat back down. "W-where –"_

"_Child stay silent," the other woman huffed, glad to see that the slave girl was alright as she placed the girl comfortably back down and started to tend to her body. "Master told me you'll be a feisty one," she chuckled lightly. "Can you tell me what happened?"_

"_Uh… I… Gg-reek not well –"_

"_Ah you must be new," the woman nodded and lifted her head up, insisting Zahra drinks from the cup. She mumbled hesitantly, but her throat was killing her and Zahra figured the woman was trying to help her. Reluctantly she drank the water and practically choked, not expecting it to be lukewarm. "So kid, what happened? Where do you come from? What's your name – Oh! And I'm Cyanae by the way. I've been under Daleel's service for a few years now," she grinned at her._

_Zahra gulped, but sighed and slowly shift up; Cyanae trying to help her, but Zahra wouldn't allow it. "My name… Zahra," she told her, "and… I come from Egypt. I… I left and not want go back… D-don't know what happen to me now…"_

"_Don't worry about that," Cyanae grinned. "By how Daleel's been acting for the past few weeks you'll be staying here with everyone else."_

_Her eyes went wide, almost jumping out of the bed, but quickly calming down because of her stomach. "W-weeks?! H-how long I o-ut?"_

"_Ummm… only a couple I guess," Cyanae shrugged. "While you were out Daleel left and he'll be back by tomorrow –"_

"_I-is O-rion –"_

"_Hey I heard yelling!" a voice came from the door. "Is everything alright?!"_

"_Yes it is!" Cyanae yelled back, Zahra covering her ears from how loud the woman was getting. "The girl just woke up –"_

_The door flung open and Orion walked in, Zahra's eyes lightening up as she tried to move out of the bed to see him. "Oh no," he huffed and ran over to her side, Zahra frowning as he set her back down on the bed. "You've been asleep for days and you shouldn't get up. Cyanae, can you get us some food and more water while I'll stay with the kid."_

"_Sure thing Orion," Cyanae nodded, grabbing the tray she had full of water, food, and medicine and bringing it outside. _

_Orion gave Zahra a weak smile, grabbing the basin of water and wetting a rag. Noticing the girl relaxing he tended to her, placing the rag on Zahra's forehead to cool her down. "W-who she –"_

"_We're in Athens at Daleel's house," Orion explained, making sure Zahra was still before continuing. "That woman there is Cyanae. She's been here longer then me… and I'll be honest. I think she's in love with that master of ours," he chuckled lightly. "Daleel personally had her tend to you and he let me stay with you. He says he'll tell you of his decision when he gets back from his trip, but I don't think you'll have to worry… may I ask you something?"_

"… _Y-es –"_

"_Now for one you've been out for two weeks," Orion began, looking at her sternly, "but secondly strange things have been going on. You've woken up, but you haven't been completely there. You'll start screaming and crying out for a person named… Ach I think? I think that's why it took so long for you to heal, but honestly I thought you wouldn't make it at first." He chuckled lightly, "but you surprised all of us. I'd advise you not to move, but I know I can't stop you. Can you tell me what you may have been dreaming about?"_

"… _I-I not really dreaming… anything…" Zahra grabbed for the rag on her head and sighed, ringing out the water before flopping it back on her head. "But know what you ask." She looked at the closed door and hoped no one was listening to them, reaching to feel the knife on her leg and her eyes widened to find it wasn't there. "WHERE KNIFE –"_

"_Right here," Orion chuckled, settling her down and grabbing the knife out of his pocket. Looking at it one last time he handed it to Zahra, the girl sighing as she sat up and smiled to see that her dagger would still be with her. _

_Instead of putting it away she looked at the blade, noticing the blood was cleaned and the blade sharpened. "… There is more to me then know," she sighed, pressing a finger along the engraving on the side and making a marking on her finger. She looked at the image of a half man, half serpent, and winged beast on her finger, the image quickly vanishing just as fast as it stayed. "I… problems… problems at home… people not like me… people say cursed," Zahra looked into Orion's eyes, looking at him sternly before looking back at her knife. "That was dream… dream I have frequent… maybe I remember, but have it much I forget," she chuckled lightly, looking up at Orion with a look of sadness on her face. "I-it not something I like talk about –"_

"_Here we go!" Cyanae interrupted them, setting the new tray of goodies on the nightstand before shoving Orion aside. "Now how about you get out of here two-timer –"_

"_M-miss Cy-an… a-ae," Zahra began, Orion and Cyanae turning to her confused, "Can Orion… can h-he stay p-please –"_

_Cyanae sighed, the girl letting in a gulp as Orion gave her a weak smile and ran a hand through her hair. "It's alright Zahra," he smiled. "I'll be just right outside the door if you need me."_

"_B-but –"_

_Zahra frowned as Orion left the room, Cyanae looking at her confused before chuckling lightly. "You like~~ him, don't you?"_

"_N-no!" Zahra yelped and tried to get up. "H-he just help –"_

"_Calm down child!" Cyanae shook her head and push on Zahra's shoulder, the girl letting out a yelp as Cyanae shook her head and grabbed for the water. She handed her the water and Zahra looked into the cup, slowly drinking the water and eying Cyanae wearily. "You know he's like five, if not six years older then you," Cyanae chuckled, "and a hard ass to boot!"_

"_I-I not care," Zahra pouted, "a-nd not think like guy… h-he brother –"_

"_Sure kid," she rolled her eyes, "whatever you say." Zahra let out an annoyed sigh and moved away from Cyanae, glaring at her as Cyanae looked at her confused and began to help her out of her scratchy dress. _

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: Okay, that is it for this chapter. Not too much stuff, but hey there's some action in there right? ;3 I hope you're enjoying yourselves. I know I am =D and now it's about time I get to sleep… so SEE YOU LATER! =D**

Orion – Greek – Greek mythology by a celebrated hunter who was beloved by Diana. After he was accidently killed, he was transformed and placed into the heavens as a constellation

Lyra – Greek – lyre

Abraxas – Greek – one of the horses belonging to the sun god Helios. Also name of demon of lies and deceit; "I will create as I speak"


	19. The Coming Invasion

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Well I'm finally home. WOOT! Great trip! I want to live in Canada now. Why? The nights are actually cool and they probably have a lot of snow in the winter =3 Plus their trees aren't getting rusty and dying… unlike here where all you see is rust and dying trees DX Anyways enough about me. To conclude my trip was great and I loved it ^^ Now I'm back so here's another chapter! I don't know what's going to happen… if I add more this week or not (the chapters are starting to add up =O) because of school, and I've started today and I feel like crap DX Let's see… in this chapter expect more flashbacks, but they'll end towards the end. Then we have some palace fun and there we go! So enjoy this chapter, I know I had fun writing it! =3**

! #$%^&*()

_Zahra sighed, trying to brush away the invisible dirt from her new dress and fixing her dirty, combed hair. Cyanae had forced her into a new dress, a Greek style dress that indicated that she was a slave to Daleel. She didn't like the idea of being thought of as a slave, but what can she do? She had nowhere to live and she certainly wasn't going to return to Egypt! Orion walked into the room and smirked, watching Zahra's hips sway as she mumbled in Egyptian that her outfit looked disgusting. "I think you look great Zahra," Orion chuckled, Zahra turning to him with a frown on her face before looking back at her outfit._

"_T-thanks Orion," she sighed, "but I not like this –"_

"_Should I get Cyanae –"_

"_She make me wear this," the girl pouted, Orion laughing and patting her on the back._

"_I think you'll be fine," he encouraged her, looking into the small table mirror at Zahra's nervous face, "and hey, if you don't, you can sleep in my room!"_

"_Har har," Zahra snorted, shoving Orion away and walking over to a pile of clothes. He eyed her suspiciously, watching her grab a long black cloth and wrap it around her waist. He smirked, noticing the slight grin on Zahra's face when she looked back in the mirror and liked her belt. "Okay. Am ready," she told him, Orion leading Zahra out of the room and down the hallway. _

_The girl's eyes lit up to see how vast the house actually was, since she was cooped up in the room for the time she'd been there. Zahra wondered how the building looked on the outside, but she didn't say anything as they walked up a flight of stairs and onto the second level. "This building was constructed recently," Orion began, noticing the girl's interest. "The previous owner had died and Daleel bought the estate. He saw the plans and decided to finish the building. It has many Greek styles, but has a few other countries' architectures like Egyptian. The building is two stories, several more below for us to live and use as storage. This is Daleel's main center for his enterprise. He's practically a worldwide merchant, ranging from Sicily and Italy to Cyprus and Canaan. He wishes to expand to Iberia, further into Phoenicia, and up into the Black Sea and into Scythia. Now I'm guessing he'll have you working in the household with the other women slaves," Orion continued, noticing Zahra's frown. "Either here or somewhere else. I don't really know what he has planned for you, but after you little stunt back there he may come up with something else." Orion sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Anyways get to know this building quickly. If you'll be working for Daleel you'll be arriving or living here often. Understood?"_

"_Understood," Zahra nodded back, the two of them stopping at a door as Zahra slowly inhaled before exhaling. Orion mumbled something to a guard and he nodded, leaving his post to speak inside the room as Zahra let out a nervous sigh. "… Y-you'll think he do something –"_

"_Nah I doubt he'll give you away to a whore house or something," Orion smirked at her. "You're too valuable to him now. You saved his life after all!"_

"_I-I did?" Zahra looked at him confused, Orion's eyes widening at her response, but then he chuckled at her. _

"_In the heat of the moment huh?" He smirked, rustling up her hair as the door opened. "Go get them, gypsy," Orion joked, Zahra looking at him confused before shrugging and walking into the room._

_Her eyes widened. She would have thought she was walking into a temple, perhaps the throne of even the pharaoh! The room was large, pillars two stories tall with marble and polished stone everywhere. She wondered how this man could afford all this. Was he rich? Was he a noble or sorts? "**Ahem**," she heard someone say from the other end of the room, Zahra gulping as her head turned from the ceiling and she hustled to the other end of the room. Her shoes** 'clanked'** across the floor as she hustled till she made it to the other end. The man was sitting on a chair. She couldn't help but smirk, noticing he was sitting like a king on his mountain of wealth. "Impressed by what you see~?" Daleel chuckled, standing up and walking down the steps. Zahra simply looked at him confused, hoping for some sort of explanation for the building. "I bought the plans and the estate after this old guy died," he shrugged, looking over at his servants and they chuckled. "Figured I'd finish the building. I guess he was part of royalty or something. Anyways it's many a storage facility now, but I make this a destination for meetings, parties, and other gimmicks for merchants and people who'd like to trade with us," he explained. "Now kid, you're part of our little group. How does that feel?"_

"_F-fine… I guess," Zahra shrugged, watching as Daleel walked past her and towards the middle of the room. She frowned. Zahra wondered if she was supposed to follow him or not. _

"_I like to call us the Traveling Circus!" Daleel yelled into the room, the servants and guards laughing as he chuckled to himself. "I'm just kidding kid! Lighten up! You seem tense."_

"_I-I –"_

"_I get it," he sighed, walking back over to her. "You've been worried about what I'll say. Don't worry about it! Pelagius, go get her some food and a chair. This may take a while." A man off to the side nodded and walked out a side door. Daleel gave Zahra a smile and offered for her to sit on the steps, sighing as she just stared at him and he sat down. Deciding to follow Daleel Zahra sat beside him, Daleel giving her a slight smile before chuckling lightly to himself. "Hesitant creature, aren't you?"_

"_Yes," she bluntly answered, Daleel noticing the tired look on her face and nodding. _

"_Okay, let's just get this out in the open. I'm not going to throw you to the authorities," he admitted, Zahra looking up at him with sudden interest. He opened his mouth but stopped, noticing the sparkle in her jaded green eyes before coughing into his hand. "I saw what you did back there. I have no idea what those creatures were in the forest, but you were the first to notice them. How?"_

"_I-I don't know," Zahra shrugged and looked away, "I-I just d-id… I felt a-mi-iss and went on in-n-stinct."_

"_Ah," Daleel nodded. "Kid, I have a different idea in mind for you. Let me just ask, did you have any professions or training to be a warrior? Perhaps you came from a tribe that fought one another?"_

"_Well…" Zahra thought, deciding it couldn't hurt to tell him everything. "I was adopted and my adopted mother trained me to be a priestess along with her two other kids. I have a knack for fighting, but I mainly know thievery."_

"_Thievery you say?" Daleel looked at her confused. "Go on." _

"_I used to pickpocket, but now a days I would go out raiding through noble houses and temples," Zahra continued. "Even pyramids and tombs for practice. I only did so if we needed the money or didn't like the guy… or didn't know about them. If I knew the family and they were kind to me I don't steal from them. That's where I draw the line." Sighing she ran a hand through her hair, trying to recall any training she had. "My mother also taught me how to cook and clean. Be a housewife and all that. As I said, I trained to be a priestess. I know how to use dark shadow magic, but not well. I don't like using magic for long periods of time. I get… tired easily," she decided to say, looking over and noticing the intrigue on Daleel's face. "I've also trained to fight. I especially know how to throw knives and long range weapons. I know how to defend myself with a dagger… but I haven't fought with a sword. Ummm… yeah that's really it. I like thievery and I can be stealthy, but I have a hard time with close-range combat –"_

"_Then that's where we'll start," Daleel chuckled and stood up, Zahra looking at him confused as he walked onto the floor. "You see little girl, I noticed how competitive you are when you fight. The fire of a warrior and killer lies in your eyes, and I just have to say I only see that look in a few people." He continued with a sly smirk, "It's when they're not afraid of death, Zahra. They face death head on without fear. They walk **towards** death." He thought slightly to himself, Zahra letting in a gulp. "I want to – Thank you Pelagius," Daleel nodded, letting the servant set the chair down so Zahra could sit. She refused and grabbed the plate of food, ushering the man away as she blew and rubbed whatever dust could be on the food before eating it. Daleel smirked, watching Zahra eat greedily and wondering if anyone was feeding her. "Anyways, I want to make you into a soldier –"_

"_What?!" She practically spat out the grape in her mouth. "Why you need soldiers anyways –"_

"_Let me finish," he held up his hand to her to silence her, Zahra quickly shutting her mouth so he could continue. "Not just a soldier, a warrior. You say were you trained to be a priestess. Do you know how to read and write? Especially count?"_

"_Yes sir –"_

"_Well there we go," he chuckled lightly. "I'll make you one of my merchants… or a guard. Whatever is preferred. You'll be undercover though. I want you to move around and if trouble comes up I want you to kick whosever ass needs kicking. Understood?"_

"_W-wait I –"_

"_Of course this won't start right away," he continued. "I'll have someone train you –"_

"_Can that be Orion?" Zahra asked._

"_That guy?" Daleel thought for a while, nodding slightly. "Well I don't see the problem with that… he's a Spartan after all… Okay. Orion will train you. You'll go to the complex in Sparta to train. After a few months we'll see how you're doing and perhaps I'll send you out on mission. Alright?"_

"… _Yeah…" Zahra shrugged, "I-I guess that okay, but –"_

"_Orion will send reports back to me and I'll hear about your progress," Daleel continued. "If you can't keep up with his training style expect to come back here and I may~~ just have to come up with something else for you." Zahra frowned, Daleel smirking at her hesitation before chuckling. "Anyways we'll see how you are in a few months. Maybe I'll give you a year of training. We'll see how it goes. Also – Pelagius! Bring Orion in here. Zahra you're free to go," he told her, Zahra nodding and quickly leaving the room with the rest of the food in her hands. _

_Daleel watched Zahra run and chuckled lightly to himself, looking over at one of the guards with a smirk. "I've never tried training a kid before. Do you think this is a good decision for the girl?"_

"_She has the heart," a guard answered, "but I don't know if she'll have the skill –"_

"_She will," Daleel huffed, "if she values her life." The guard nodded and looked up when Orion walked in, looking at the men confused as Daleel gave him a sly smirk on his face._

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra blinked, opening her eyes and sighing. "Today," she told herself, getting out of bed and yawning as she moved over to her bag. Today was the day she'd meet the other groups and today would be the day they raid. If they aren't quick their window of opportunity will close, and Zahra didn't want to think of the possibility of the pharaoh or other thieves finding out before the appointed time. This was a large group and in order for plans to go as they should they'll have to work fast. She pulled out her clothes and set them on the bed, eying them hesitantly as she picked up the skimpy outfit. Zahra actually had several for this outing, since Cyanae insisted she wore several items to keep up her disguise. First was the belly dance outfit that she'll wear under her clothes. It's a black skimpy outfit, green and blue trims creating some color and silver to reflect on the crowd. Depending on what'll happen she may take it off or not, but that depends on how much time she'll have before she sneaks into the palace. Next is her regular outfit, a simple white dress with a black cloth around her waist and her black cloak. She'd wear this over her other outfit until they made it into the city and they are at their positions. Lastly was something more glamorous. It was a finer dress, something Daleel said she could wear for the event and was given free of charge. It wasn't made out of silk, but it was a fine fabric compared to the rugged rags she wore on a daily basis. He said something about dressing her up so she'd look pretty for his _'highness'_, but Zahra only agreed to wearing it because she'd be able to keep it. She had underwear for under those clothes if she needed it, but knowing how things will go Zahra won't have time to change.

She got to work, throwing off the dress she was using to sleep in to replace everything with the slim outfit. Then she put on her normal white dress and tied the black cloth around her waist, slipping on her shoes before sitting down at a mirror. Zahra took her time when it came to her face, combing through her hair and deciding to put on makeup. Not something fancy, but she'll need something on her face for the dancing. She only put a few items on her face, cleaning up her complexion and adding black kohl on her eyes. Not elaborate, but enough for her jaded green eyes to pop out widely at the crowd. She added some blue and green coloring to her eyelids and then Zahra figured she was done, cleaning her hands in a basin before combing her hair again. She heard a knock on the door and didn't bother to answer, Daleel walking in before letting out a chuckle. "What's with the makeup –"

"Thank Cy," she huffed, beginning to braid on the left side of her face and ignoring his gaze.

"You're getting ready I see," he pointed to a braid on the left side of her face as she tied it off. "… Can I ask why you do that –"

"It's like how a warrior prays to their god before going into battle," she explained and stood up, throwing everything into her bag and also slipping silver, thin sandals into the bag. "It's a way to calm myself down… plus it's sort of meaningful to me –"

"Okay I get it," he chuckled. "The others are waiting just outside." Daleel watched as she threw the cloak over her neck, Zahra slipping the black hood over her face before following Daleel out the door. Before they left the tavern she grabbed a cluster of dates into her hand, smirking when the bartender didn't notice as she walked outside, grabbed the reins of her horse, and led the group into the desert.

)(*&^%$# !

They have been galloping for what seemed like hours, but the sun hadn't moved high in the sky yet. Zahra ordered the various groups to their different outposts around Thebes, soon being led around by Cyanae and her team. The team was mainly Nkuku's, but Cyanae was the real person in charge. This gave Zahra some time to rewind and relax, waving to Basir and Jalila as she jumped off of the horse and tied it to a nearby post. "Hey guys," she sighed, Jalila smirking when she noticed the drowsy look in Zahra's eyes.

"Hey Ranpu," Basir chuckled and pulled her into a tight hug once Zahra got close enough. "What's up?!"

"Tired," Zahra sighed, limping in Basir's arms and letting Jalila pull her off of him as she was grabbed into Jalila's arms. "Really busy."

"We can see that," Jalila giggled. "Say, do you think we'll be ready –"

"We're as ready as we'll get for the time we've been given," Zahra told them. "I-I don't know though. We'll just see how everything plays out. Ugh. I'm always nervous for these things."

"Well everyone is working as hard as they can with this," Basir explained, looking at Jalila with a smile before patting Zahra on the back. "We have all our hope riding on this ra –"

"Don't use the word," Zahra snorted. "Call it… a mission."

"Okay whatever!" Jalila exclaimed. "So what'll we be doing?"

"You have dances planned out right?" Zahra asked them. Noticing the nod she continued, "So dance them! The main objective is to distract the guards. That's your top priority. Keep their eyes away from the activities of the others and, of course, have fun!"

"That doesn't seem too hard," Basir smirked, "right Jalila?"

"With **my** body I'll have the guards down on their knees," Jalila winked at them, throwing the robe she had on to reveal the outfit she had hidden underneath.

Basir's jaw dropped at Jalila revealed herself, her slim body laced together with a light brown and black cloth with purple accents. Zahra thought she looked like any other woman in a skimpy outfit, but apparently Basir thought otherwise. "My gods Jalila… y-your stunning."

"You think?" she looked at her outfit, giggling slightly. "Thanks Basir –"

"Hey Npu!" Cyanae called to them, Zahra sighing as she left the couple and walked over to the woman.

"Yes –"

"So you'll be in the first and second dances," Cyanae explained, "and I'll have you show up… in the fifth. Will that give you enough time to change and get into the palace?"

"Yeah that's fine," Zahra shrugged. "But… wait the fifth one is the story with Atalanta and –"

"No!" Cyanae laughed. "The stories with Artemis," she smirked.

Zahra blinked at her confused and then sighed. "Oh I get it," she huffed, "you want me to dress up like Artemis –"

"That's right," Cyanae smirked. "Hey, your name is Diana anyways. I figured it'd be funny –"

"I don't want to get smite," Zahra pouted, "and even if I like the name I'll certainly not **boast** about it –"

"Hey calm down!" Cyanae chuckled. "Don't frat! The stories are just Artemis mainly getting wooed by others. Ummm… the story of Alpheus and Arethusa… just a quick scene of Bouphagos. I think you'll have fun smiting him," Cyanae smirked, "and… Achaeon. Then after a few of Apollo's stories and Artemis' stories we'll have Niobe and her story. Right after the last dance with just Artemis we'll have Niobe and Leto with their dance."

"Ugh," Zahra frowned, "that's a lot at once Cyanae. Do you think I'd be able to –"

"You shouldn't run into trouble," Cyanae smirked, "and by the time it ends the night will have fallen. So you'll have time to go on the mission! Now seriously I have to go."

"But –"

"Her costume is in the second trunk to the stage!" Cyanae yelled to her as she left. "Don't let me down!"

"But –" Zahra sighed, shaking her head and turning back to walk to Basir and Jalila.

She shook her head when she noticed Basir fondling over Jalila, letting out a cough and interrupting them. "Oh Ranpu!" Jalila yelped and shoved Basir away. "What did Cyanae tell you?"

"I'll be in dances one, two, and five," Zahra pouted, "but I have a feeling I may be late –"

"Hey don't worry about it," Basir chuckled. "You said it yourself right? Just go out there and have fun!"

"I guess…"

"Let's go get some grub," Basir groaned, "I'm _starving~_!"

"You're **always** starving!" Jalila laughed, shoving Zahra away from everyone and towards the food stashed in the back.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

Zahra sighed, looking over at the man next to her with hesitation. "Are you _sure~ _about this Basir?" she asked as she pouted at him.

The man laughed; kneading her long black hair as she snarled and tried to fling his arms away. "Stop being so hesitant!" he laughed.

"But –"

"You're the prettiest date in the desert. I don't think you'll have a problem," he smirked.

"Are you calling me fat?!" Zahra stared at him in shock, pushing her hair back down as she tried to make it nice and neat again.

"NO!" Basir laughed, close to messing with her hair again. This time she growled and grabbed his arm, his eyes widening as he was flipped onto his back and she stepped on his chest. "Okay I give! Uncle!"

Zahra snorted, pressing her silver sandals into his opened chest. "Bitch! You're such a weakling!"

"Oh gods stop!" he laughed, Zahra smirking as she tickled him uncontrollably with the back of her foot.

"Hey!" they heard, seeing Jalila growling and snarling at them. "We're about to begin! Stop fooling around, idiots!"

"Whatever," Zahra huffed, stepping over him as she walked over to Jalila. "Do you think this plan will work?"

"Gods I hope so," she sighed. "We need the money."

"Yeah," Basir grinned as he brushed the dust from his clothes, "let's get going. Jalila you lead as always and Zahra you fall in behind. Alright?"

"Right," the two girls said, walking out from behind the wall and getting into position. Basir stood beside one of the drummers, whispering to them as Zahra looked at the crowd nervously.

"Hey," Jalila glanced at her with a smirk, "you can fight like no one's business and yet you can't take on just a _little~_ crowd?"

"Little?" Zahra huffed. "It's a monster!"

"Hah! You're so scared aren't you!" Jalila laughed, walking over to her and giving her a gentle pat on the back. "Hey don't worry about it. Just go with the flow, like the Nile you know?" She frowned, noticing how Zahra looked away from her and at the ground. "Think of it this way," Jalila said, getting her attention, "we're on a mission with a goal in mind. _Don't worry~_. You'll have your fun in the palace too."

"Yeah I better," Zahra smirked, "or else I'll be one cranky thief."

"Right," Jalila chuckled, looking over at Basir and giving him a nod. Basir nodded back, signaling the drummers as they began to play. The crowd that had gathered around them looked up, noticing the upbeat music that the show has begun. Zahra was still nervous about this, dressed in the thin outfit, but she wasn't going to let her hesitation control her. Besides Basir was right, she looked alright in the outfit. She liked how the greens, blues, and black colors complimented her eyes and hair, how the light black fabric fluttered around her in the light breeze. She shouldn't worry, and besides Khalifa will help obtain their mission. She'll just have to figure out a way to sneak out before anyone notices she's gone.

! #$%^&*()

Zahra rustled around in the back, getting her Artemis outfit on. She slipped off her jackal necklace to replace it with a small yellow moon crescent pendent on a slim silver chain. She replaced the belly dance outfit with underclothes that covered her chest and legs, slipping a light blue Greek hunting tunic over her body and used her black cloth to tie around her waist. Then she sat down and washed off some of the kohl and makeup, only leaving enough for her eyes to pop out on stage and to see the blue on her eyelids. Lastly she brushed through her hair and pinned everything back, including her braid, with a yellow crescent moon clip, looking at herself one last time before sighing. "Well Artemis, I hope I do you proud. Don't be mad with our little dance alright?" she prayed aloud, standing up and slipping her silver sandals back on and tying them around her ankles and legs. Lastly she grabbed her props, a quiver with arrows and a light blue wooden bow. She slung the bow and string around her neck and against the quiver, stepping out and standing next to Cyanae waiting for her turn.

"… Do you think the gods will be angry with this?" Cyanae decided to ask. "I mean… I don't care about these little Egyptian plays we're doing, but what about my own gods –"

"You've done this play several times," Zahra commented, "but as long as we have the best intentions I doubt they'll be angry. Rather they may be flattered. As long as that guy playing Apollo is in his right mind –"

"He's actually a Greek," Cyanae explained to her, "and he happened to be living in AmAuNet. He actually favors Apollo greatly. He volunteered first to play the role of Apollo in the dances. It'll be alright Zahra. Don't worry about it."

"… Okay," Zahra nodded, "I'll have your word on that –"

The style of music began to change from Egyptian to Greek and Zahra let out a sigh, composing herself into the role of the goddess. "Go get them Npu," Cyanae encouraged her, Zahra turning and giving her a smirk before walking onto the stage when the lights blacked out.

The stage was set, the lights were off, and now it was Zahra's time to shine. She was impressed that Cyanae had her scene right after the sun had gone down, right when the moon would begin to rise in the sky. Thus the sky was dark and she was barely noticeable, her movements unknown. She let out a sigh and looked down to the ground, waiting for two torches on either side of her to light. Once she did she began to move, slowly, pulling her bow off from around her head and slowly strung an arrow to the end. She followed the voice of the narrator that came from the back, introducing her as the goddess of the hunt, of virginity, and of the moon. She is the twin of Apollo and daughter of Leto, the goddess of the Greeks, Artemis. Zahra let the string go and the arrow flew into the crowd, and then she began her dance. She mainly followed what the man in the back said, hunting and consulting silently to female dancers or talking to dancers dressed as animals. She let her movements flow and let a smile creep upon her face, greeting a man that was supposedly her brother from the side before continuing to dance around on the stage. Whenever she passed the guards she made sure her hips swayed just so to get their attention, mesmerizing them with her jaded green eyes that seemed to sparkle tenfold under the cover of the darkness.

Then the true dances began, the god Alpheus walking out on stage in his glory trying to woe her. Knowing exactly what she'd do Zahra tripped the man on the stage, smirking at him and aiming a bow and arrow at his head threatening to kill him. The narrator went on to say that the god tried over and over, but could not win the goddess' heart. So he tried a different plan, going after one of Artemis' attendants. The stories continued and Zahra danced, letting her body get lost in the moment as she skillfully fought back men and transformed mortals. She glanced into the audience and, at one point, thought she saw the goddess herself staring at her with a look of intrigue in her eyes, but when Zahra looked back she was nowhere to be found. Either way she went on with storyline, soon jumping off of stage for the story of Niobe and Leto to begin. She grabbed some water and quickly drank it down, noticing the man that was playing Apollo sitting and waiting for their scene to start. "Hey there," Zahra greeted quietly and walked over to him. "Cyanae told me you're a Greek."

"Yes I am," he chuckled lightly, shaking his blonde hair before looking at her with bright silver eyes. "Though my skin has grown a bit darker from the sun."

"So why are you here in Egypt?" Zahra asked with a smile, trying to keep her voice down so the audience couldn't hear them.

"I fell in love with this land," he explained, "and a woman… but she's gone now."

"Oh," Zahra pouted, "I'm sorry to hear that –"

"It's alright," he chuckled. "She loved this place and I'm raising our children to love this land as much as she did." Zahra nodded as was about to say something, but then they heard their cue coming up. The man stood up and helped Zahra to her feet, the woman giving him a silent thank you before walking to the edge of the stage. The stage was light up more than it had been when Zahra was there, but she went on with their roles with the other dancer by her side. They swooped upon Niobe and killed her children one by one, Apollo taking the boys and Artemis, after Niobe insulted Leto a few more times, taking out the girls. After the ordeal was done Niobe wept, Zahra nudging the man in the shoulder as he gave her a smirk and patted the woman who was paying the role of Leto on the back. Then Apollo and Artemis left the stage, leaving Niobe in ruins and Leto triumphantly dancing around her. Seeing that her dancing was done Zahra swooped behind a screen and changed, the man who played Apollo taking his time and slowly gathering his clothes to change into. "You were great out there kid."

"Thanks umm… you," Zahra smirked back and walked out from behind the screen, wearing the white dress Daleel had given to her and tying a black cloth around her waist. He watched as she grabbed a sword and tied it around her waist, taking a few daggers and hiding it on the other side of her belt. She took a comb and combed out her hair, setting the jewelry she had used on the counter and putting her jackal necklace back on. Making sure the braid still looked neat Zahra slipped the black cloak around her neck, placing the hood over her face to hide the contours of her face. "I guess you're not going to raid because of your children?"

"That's right," he nodded. "I'd rather be alive for my children then end up dying in the palace."

"Understood," Zahra nodded back and grabbed for her bag, deciding it was time to go as she grabbed a cup of water and drank her fill.

"… The name is Argyris," he decided to tell her, "and I hope to see you again."

"So do I," she smirked back, "but under happier instances." Argyris nodded and watched her leave, Zahra slipping out of the back and disappearing into a vacant part of the alleyway.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

It took her a while to find her men; several already made their way into the palace. Zahra went on and persuade them, grabbing one of them on the end before he was seen by a guard. "Gyasi," she called to the lead man.

Gyasi turned around and ushered the men to continue as he sneaked over to where she hid. "Yes –"

"There's something I have to do first," she explained, "but here's the route to the treasury. Go to the second story above the ground. Walk down the hallway till you find a large statue of Thorth, or a god with the head of an iris. Then three doors to the right side of his right leg is an old wooden door. Open that door and walk down the stairs. Make sure you close the door behind you," she told him. "Now once you get to the bottom you can kill the guards, but keep everything quiet. There shouldn't be anyone down there except for the guards. Everyone else should be asleep. It's hard to see in the maze unless you have light. Once you get to the bottom take a left, turn right, and straight, right, right, straight, and then left… got that?"

"Left, right, straight, right, right, straight… left. Okay," Gyasi nodded and waited for her to continue.

"After you do that there'll be a large bronze door with two to eight guards. Disarm those guards and/or kill them. Make sure you don't make sounds because there may be a servant down there for all I know," Zahra shrugged. "Anyways that'll be the door that leads to the treasury. There will be alarms, so be careful. Don't take any items that are too large and the large to normal sized gems. The gems set off a trap. We can only sell small items anyways so take coins, trinkets, and etc. Then leave everything as you left it and as a group go back outside. Tell Khalifa where everything is… alright?"

"Got it," Gyasi gave her a thumbs up. "Now go."

"I'll find you once I'm done," she told him, "but don't wait for me if I don't show up." He nodded and took off after his men, Zahra turning her back on them and walking down the hallway to the other side of the palace.

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: Oh wow. I wonder where Zahra is going =O Anyways I hoped you enjoyed this ^^ Keep reading! And commenting! I hope to post more later, but for now I'll leave you with this chapter**

Pelagius – Greek – the sea

Artemis – Greek god (Roman equivalent – Diana); often described as the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of Apollo; goddess of hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity, and young girls, bringing and relieving disease in women; often depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows; deer and cypress were sacred to her

Argyris – Greek – silvery


	20. The Millennium Tome

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

Alexis © missb111

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry that it's been a few weeks since I last posted a chapter. I've been 1) busy and 2) just wasn't in the mood to review a chapter. Mainly I'll blame school. I've had so much homework that I barely have time to myself, and when I do it's to write more chapters. Anyways I guess this could be the climax of this portion of the story. I hope you enjoy it… and once again I'm sorry I didn't post anything. I just didn't have time! =O Well I'm done now. See you at the end! ;3**

! #$%^&*()

Seto was sitting in one of the various rooms in the palace, a book in front of his nose as he studied the material hidden within its pages. "Seto," Alexis groaned as she walked into the room, noticing Seto was still studying, "It's late, almost midnight. Can't you come to bed? You'll be leaving in a few more days and the pharaoh wants us to prepare for something –"

"I can't right now," Seto huffed. "There's something I need to figure out."

"… What are you reading?" Alexis asked, walking over to his chair and leaning over his shoulder to look at the book. "… I-I don't understand that…"

"It's a book about translating ancient languages," Seto explained, flipping the page and pointing to a picture. "There's this book you see and I talked to master Akhenaden about it. Apparently he was able to translate a small portion of the book into Egyptian and thus he was able to create the Millennium items," he chuckled, Alexis looking at him strangely. "I just wondered that if I could translate more of the book and perhaps we can find out Zahra's relationship to the monsters, the items, and the dead."

"… You still care about her huh?" Alexis smirked, Seto shaking his head and setting his hat down next to him.

"Shouldn't I?" he huffed. "After… all these years she's alive…"

"Do you think you can see things her way –"

"Not right now," Seto huffed. "I'd rather get rid of those voices that are in her head and then bring her here as a priestess. Don't you remember Alexis? Those voices she supposedly hears is the reason why she couldn't be a priestess… couldn't work for the pharaoh… If I can come up with a way for those voices in her head to disappear forever I think we can have our sister back –"

"But what about the other things?" Alexis asked. "The powerful shadow creatures, the wings? She talks to the gods on a daily basis Seto. That's something even us priests can't truly do without consequences, and she does so casually! If someone else did that they'd be smite… They want her for a reason Seto, I can tell. The fact that the gods wouldn't let her die even after she stabbed herself… when she told us what they want. They want the pharaoh and those connected to the Millennium items dead."

"… I know that," he sighed, "that Zahra's affairs are beyond our own, but there is a reason she came to us and not someone else. Perhaps the gods want us to **save** her because she's possessed by an evil ka… that's what I believe Alexis. That's what mother told me… and I can't stand to see her suffering so much. I don't know what she did exactly, but I know it can't be good," he sneered.

Alexis sighed, shaking her head and knelt down to give her feet rest. "… I do," she told him, Seto looking at her shocked, "… How do you think I found her?" She smirked, "I followed her trail and sent her a letter. She actually has a name for herself. She's part of this merchant group that comes from Greece and they have spread out to the four corners of the world for trade. That's how we get some of our produce. She has connections," she explained. "Though, she's not just a merchant. She's an undercover assassin and thief… but Zahra still did **something** with herself, even if it's not being a high priestess. There are many stories about her, though I wonder which are true," Alex shrugged, "but either way you shouldn't be too hard on her. You yelled at her and caused her to leave, but perhaps you can talk to her and she can be part of the family again. What do you say?"

"… I say you tell me all you know about Zahra in the morning," he sighed and turned back to his book, "but right now I need to figure out Akhenaden's translation."

"Fine," Alexis huffed. "I'll see you in the morning." She walked out the door and down the hallway, Zahra watching her out of the corner of her eye as she hid in the shadows. Once Alexis left Zahra let out a soft sigh, sneaking down the hallway to the door she was looking for. Slowly opening it she entered a dark stairway, careful to not make a sound to alert Seto or a guard that she was there.

Once the door was closed and she walked down the stairs for a few steps Zahra smirked, glad to hear into Seto and Alexis' conversation. "Thanks Seto," she smiled and looked to the side, running a hand over a shadowy creature as its skull-like face moaned at her softly, "but I don't need help with the voices anymore." She watched as it took off in front of her to the bottom of the stairs, Zahra's eyes glowing green as she followed in the darkness. "They've helped me longer then you ever have," she huffed slightly, watching the spirit disappear into a door.

Zahra stopped, noticing the lock. Grabbing a thin wire from her pack she picked the lock, smirking when she heard a _**'click'**_. She was wondering why she hadn't run into any guards, but perhaps they had other matters on their minds. Then there it was right in front of her with the ghost hovering around waiting for her to grab it, "The Millennium Tome," she mumbled aloud, slowly walking across the room before looking down on the book.

"_Take it~~_… _take it~~_ –"

"Yeah yeah, I get it," Zahra huffed, "just alert me if someone is going by." With her words the spirit disappeared out the front door, Zahra smirking and opening the book. "Karbukef was right," she mumbled under her breath, "I can barely understand this…" Shaking her head she picked up the book, sitting down on a table and flipping through the pages. Some words seem familiar to her, but many weren't. Perhaps not only did you need to know the language, but the writing too. Apparently Karbukef didn't tell her that part of the book, but she wanted to help those villagers. Not only that, but she felt that finding this book would lead her to her past. "Maybe if I read it…" she thought, placing a finger on one of the words and beginning to talk.

"_The wrath of the gods with be upon those who use this spell_," she began. "_To save a nation, the ruler will start a war: war between good and evil. Evil shall twist into good and good twist into evil. Thus the power of the heavens will be given to mortals; the mortals destined the fate of their world. As fate, ninety nine souls shall be sacrificed, the one hundredth soul executing them fates. Shadow powers is yours to obtain, the shadow realm yours to obey. The last soul sacrificed shall become the wrath of the gods, shall destroy all those opposing death_ –

"Okay this is too much for me," Zahra snorted and flipped through the pages, trying to find the spell Karbukef described. Then she heard a high whine, seeing the ghost running through the door and circling around Zahra. "What is it friend?" she whispered to it and closed the book.

"Did you hear something?" a guard asked, opening the door and looking inside. Seeing the books in their proper places he shrugged, closing the door and clicking the door closed.

Zahra smirked, moving out of the shadows with the Millennium Tome in her hand, slipping the book into her bag. She looked over the book she placed in its place and read it over, "_Mythical Creatures and Mysteries_. Man these guards are stupid," she quickly hushed herself up, noticing the spirit waving in front of her whining at her. Wiping the ghost away she walked over to the door, listening and waiting to hear that no one was there. The ghost flew out and came back, giving her a thumbs up to open the door. Grabbing the wire from her pack Zahra _**'unclicked'**_ the door, slowly closing it behind her and sneaking back up the stairs. Once she got to the top and looked around, however, she realized that someone from the raid group must have made a mistake much earlier then she wished.

! #$%^&*()

"What was that?" Alexis stopped, hearing glass smash from the other side of the palace. "Seto!" she yelled, running down the hallway to get back to her brother.

Going the other way was Zahra, noticing a shadow gliding across the wall and hiding back behind a pillar. Watching Alexis disappear into a room Zahra took off, her black cloak fanning behind her as she dashed down the hallway. Noticing a group of guards coming her way she snarled, looking up to the ceiling. Taking out a piece of rope she tied the end to create a circle and swung it around a board, pulling herself up into the shadows of the sky and taking the end of the rope with her. "Sir what is happening –"

"We captured a dumb thief that was trying to steal from the pharaoh's room!" the man laughed. "Nothing to be alarmed about! We have everything under control."

Zahra shook her head. At least everyone else was alright. She waited for them to leave, but a few stayed to guard the hallway. Cursing under her breath she looked around, seeing a nearby air shaft that led outside. Untying the rope and putting it back into her bag she climbed out onto the roof, noticing how many stories she was from the ground to the top floor. "I'm not going to be able to jump," she sighed and took her time as she walked to a nearby air shaft and peeked inside. She narrowed her eyes. It was one of her leaders that got captured, Gyasi of all people! She'll have to get back to her group and fast, before they start running around like chickens with their heads cut off. She leapt down onto the lower story, looking down and trying to find one of the groups. Spotting a group of thieves hiding in the shadows, she jumped down and landed beside them. "What happened –"

"AH – UMph?" he yelped, Zahra placing a hand over his mouth.

"As I said, what happened?" she snarled and narrowed her eyes at the man.

"Kgosi accidently smashed a vase and Gyasi stepped in and got everyone out of there," the man explained. "H-he got captured and now –"

"How much gold?" Zahra asked him, the man blinking before coughing into his hand.

"Our group got a few sacks and the others I think have more… so eleven or seventy or something like that –"

"Haidar, go tell groups Beta and Gamma to get everyone out of the city to our hiding place. Leave one or two people right outside with horses for Gyasi and I. If I don't make it out when the moon has moved three feet across the sky the two can leave without us. Okay?" she asked him. The man gulped, but gave her a weak nod. "Good," Zahra huffed and stood up. "You're in charge now. Don't let me down Haidar." With those words Zahra dashed away in the direction where the guards had taken Gyasi.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Chaos had erupted all around the palace; the highest of priests to the lowest of servants were awoken by order of the pharaoh. He felt his life had been in danger and planned on passing judgment over the thief, or that's what Zahra could hear from the confusion below. If she wanted to she could dress up like one of the servants to cover more ground, but staying up in the shutters was her best option so she wouldn't be seen. Plus no one was looking **up**. She didn't have any problems sneaking around the palace and listening in on their conversations. "The only time I give thanks for being a woman," she mumbled under her breath, jumping through a shaft and popping out in the pharaoh's royal court room. Apparently they hadn't suspected that anyone else was there… yet. It'll be only a matter of time till they notice that gold and silver was stolen from the royal treasury, or not. Some people just have enough wealth that they wouldn't notice something is stolen till someone makes a noise, which made Zahra infuriated beyond belief. She counted all that were present. The pharaoh, six other high priests, and one vizier. There were a few servants and guards running around, but it was mainly those eight Zahra had her eye on.

Then she saw a group of guards bring Gyasi in, Zarha letting in a gulp and seeing how late she almost was to the party. "Young man," the eldest priest called to the man, "what were you doing in the pharaoh's royal bedchambers?"

"I went in there to steal his gold and knocked over a vase," Gyasi said bluntly, glaring at them with hardening eyes.

"My pharaoh," Seto huffed, "the man has told us his crimes. Let us punish him by the Millennium items –"

"Seto you are young and you must learn there must be a trial," the pharaoh told him. "Now thief," he continued in a rough voice, "did you want to kill me?"

"No sir –"

"Kidnap me –"

"No –"

"Poison me? What is it that you can to the palace tonight –"

"Only for myself!" Gyasi yelled in anger, "A-and my village… you and your ancestors forgot about my village. We were your most loyal servants, but once the pharaoh was placed to rest in his tomb you ignored us! We are starving in the streets! We barely have enough food to get by!... So I was given an offer to come into the palace by a thief and steal gold. I figured it would help… for what my poor family has to go through." He sighed, "If you kill me so be it, but realize you are taking a man away from his family, children who have no mother, and if you have any decency as a ruler you will let me go."

Zahra narrowed her eyes, noticing the pharaoh's hesitation. "Dear brother," the eldest priest commented after a long span of silence, "we cannot simply let this thief go –"

"But the man has a family Akhenaden," the vizier explained, "and he only stole out of hunger –"

"But we can't simply let him go!" Seto raised his voice, interrupting the older men. "The man committed a crime. I have been alone and helpless without a father, my mother dying when I was young. The children will survive if they wish to. This trial is for this man, not his children. We cannot let a sob story cloud our judgment –"

"Great pharaoh," another priest interrupted, Zahra recognizing the man to be the priest they call Mahado, "with all due respect Seto is right in saying that a trial must be conducted for the man. Perhaps a few days in jail to recant his thieving ways? Surely this crime isn't suited for a punishment by the items. He must have been tricked by a thief we all know, and if we show mercy he might tell us who it was."

"Isis," the vizier asked the only high priestess in the room, "what do you see?"

"I see this man being reunited with his children," Isis mumbled, "but yet, I see the priests gathering around him to bring about punishment by the Millennium items."

"You are saying if we judge this man he will still go home?" the vizier asked.

"That's right Siamun," Isis nodded.

"So be it!" Seto roared. "Then we should judge him, oh great pharaoh. Besides what else could this man do if we let his tainted soul run amuck in the streets?"

"Young Seto has a point," Shada commented. "Evil kas can grow in the hearts of men. It will be safer for the citizens of Egypt to put this man to the test."

"Then…" Akhenamkhanen sighed and closed his eyes.

"But even if what Seto says is true, I have a feeling –"

"I agree with Seto," the pharaoh told him and looked over to Gyasi, who was staring at them with a tired look on his face. "We shall try this man with the Millennium items."

Zahra bit down on her bottom lip, clutching her chest as the Millennium items began to glow. "But sir –"

"Mahado, at times like these we must strike with an iron fist," Akhenamkhanen told the priest. "After the incident at my burial place we don't know what other dangers will be lurking in the kingdom. We must be right and just, and these Millennium items were created to do so. Now by order of the pharaoh and the gods of Egypt, we will try this man's heart."

"Yes my pharaoh," the priests bowed slightly, Seto and Shada being the first to hold up their items and point them to Gyasi.

"N-no Seto don't," Zahra mumbled and closed her eyes, knowing exactly what will happen to the man. The glow from the Millennium items surrounded Gyasi, gripping hold of his soul and ripping it right out of his chest.

There laid a green and tan dragon with large blue eyes, staring Seto right in the face as it snorted at him. "Into the tablet you sloth!" Seto yelled, his Millennium rod glowing and sending the spirit into a large stone tablet. Zahra gripped her chest in agony and mumbled out a gasp, coughing into her hand and coughing up blood.

She groaned and shook her head, leaning over the railing to see what happened to Gyasi. His eyes looked dull, worry in her eyes when he wasn't responding to his surrounds, but regardless the priests thought this to be normal and ordered the guards to take him out to the dungeons. "Well done Seto," Akhenaden congratulated him.

"Thank you master," Seto smirked back, securing his Millennium rod behind his back as the tablet was taken away. "I wouldn't have been so skilled if it weren't for your guidance."

"No Seto," Akhenaden shook his head, "this is all by your own work. I was only a tutor. Now I think, pharaoh, it is time to retire for the night, unless there is anything else –"

"Nothing else Akhenaden," the pharaoh told him. "Everyone is dismissed." Stumbling to her feet Zahra went for a window and jumped down from the roof, hoping to find Gyasi and praying she wasn't too late.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

"Gyasi there you are," Zahra mumbled under her breath, grabbing the keys she had stolen and unlocking the prison door. She walked into his cell, but the man wasn't responding. She bit down on her bottom lip, shaking his shoulders. "Come on man, wake up," she increased her voice, but the man didn't respond. He stared at her, a cold blank stare through glossed eyes. "Damn Zahra think… Think!" she bonked her hand against her head, trying to come up with a solution to this problem. Then out of nowhere a small ghost appeared, Zahra's eyes lighting up when it surrounded her hand and disappeared into her bag. She pulled out her pack and looked inside, seeing the book she had stolen glowing. "Yes… yes maybe that'll work. Thanks," she nodded to the spirit, the small ball of light disappearing as she _**'unclicked'**_ Gyasi's chains and pulled him out of the cell. Then she took off down the damp hallway, securing Gyasi on her back as she tried to avoid the guards.

She knew what had happened. She'll have to break his soul out of the tablet and place it back into his body, but how? Zahra will have to use her knowledge of the dark arts to capture his soul back into his body, but what if she was caught? She shook her head, disappearing in the shadows when she saw a couple of guards pass by. "Great," she mumbled under her breath once the guards had turned the corner and she knew she wouldn't be heard, "how will I find his soul –" Zahra paused, noticing another spirit in front of her. It let out a low whistle sound and flew down the hallway, Zahra nodding in understanding and rushing after the creature.

! #$%^&*()

Zahra found herself in a shrine and she couldn't believe her eyes. All around her were trapped spirits in stone tablets, a snarl escaping her throat when she realized this was all because of the Millennium items. "Damn the pharaoh," she growled, but quickly snapped her head out of her thoughts and went back to her dilemma. She let the spirit guide her way, stopping in front of a large tablet with the image of a sloth-like dragon and large eyes. "A Crawling Dragon, huh?" she mumbled under her breath in understanding. She set Gyasi down in front of the tablet and looked around, hoping no one would come across her and the escaped body. As if on cue the ghost took off, leaving Zahra behind to decide what she'll do.

"Okay," she nodded to herself, crossing Gyasi's hands on his chest and sprawling his body out as if she was preparing him for burial. "You've done this before," she tried to encourage herself, "nothing different. All you have to do is place the soul back into its body and it's done. No big deal… but these are the Millennium items' doing. Will I implode or something if I try this?" Then she shook her head, "Oh no, that can't be. If the gods wanted me to die because of magic I would have been dead years ago. Okay, stop worrying! I can't let this man become a monotone body for the rest of his life and I never leave anyone behind, **ever**." Finally coming into terms with herself Zahra placed out her hands over Gyasi's crossed hands, letting a deep sigh escape her throat before she began.

The room slowly began to get musky, a purple and black fog appearing in her hands. She closed her eyes and concentrated, the fog descending around the body and then up to the tablet, encircling itself around the object. "_Anapa, level five_," she mumbled under her breath in an eerie voice, "_mummification, __**commence**_!" The fog grabbed hold of the spirit and was pulled out of the stone, the dragon letting out a roar in protect. Zahra looked up and stared at the dragon, her jaded eyes glowing in a ghostly green glow. Before it let out another outburst the dragon hushed, Zahra smirking before looking down at the body. As she did the fog surrounded her, and the dragon lifted up into the sky.

Then her gaze left Gyasi, petting the dragon on the nose. "You're not really a shadow monster, are you?" Zahra smirked. "I knew I did the right thing in letting you command my group. Your body isn't supposed to die for another few years. Return back into your body until the time is right for your spirit to continue into the field of reeds." At her words the dragon snorted, breathing smoke into Zahra's face and letting her pet its nose. "Good boy," she smirked, the spirit slowly flowing back into the man's body. Then she crouched down beside Gyasi's body, her hand placed upon his hands. "_Anapa, level five, mummification, conclude_," she spoke into his ear, the fog lifting around them. Then Gyasi slowly opened his eyes blinking in confusion and noticing he wasn't in the pharaoh's court.

"Uuuhh?" Gyasi blinked, groaning as he tried to move his limps. His body felt like lead, but he pulled himself into a sitting position till he saw Zahra's gaze. "Ranpu!" he smiled happily, "W-what are you doing here?... Where's the pharaoh?" He blinked confused, wondering where he was.

"I'll explain later," she told him, helping him to his feet, "but right now we have to get out of here before they catch us." Gyasi nodded, but groaned as he tried to move. Noticing his struggle she grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him along, hoping the priest were going to sleep and hadn't notice the fog drifting out of one of the temples.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"Hes," Daleel cursed in Egyptian, the others staring at him confused. "Damn it Zahra," he sighed as he saw a sudden burst of fog stream up into the sky. "You guys leave," he bluntly ordered and climbed onto his horse, "this isn't something you'll want to see."

"With all due respect sir," Khalifa huffed, "but we're going to stay here and make sure Ranpu escapes –"

"So you have a death wish kid?" Daleel snarled, the grin on his face completely gone. "I have known Ranpu longer then all of you and you don't know what she's capable of. Now **go**. This isn't something you want to get yourself involved in."

Khalifa narrowed his eyes, giving his comrades a wave of his hand and they took off into the desert, "But I'm staying," he snarled in disgust.

"Have it your way," Daleel shrugged, "and don't say I didn't warn you." Then he took off back towards the city of Thebes, Khalifa right on his tail. The fog disappeared, but there was now alarm in the streets as people walked out and orders from the guards got the city in an uproar. Daleel passed by the two thieves waiting for Zahra and Gyasi and Khalifa told them what was going on, Daleel's horse flying into the city looking for Zahra. "Where are you, you little – Ranpu!" he exclaimed and jumped off of his horse, helping Gyasi on and forcing Zahra onto the horse.

"Don't be stupid," Zahra snarled, slamming Daleel to the ground as she jumped off of his horse and grabbing the reins of a nearby horse tied to a wooden post.

Daleel took off on the horse with Gyasi sitting behind him and Zahra right behind Daleel's horse, Khalifa ordering the others that had stayed behind to retreat into the desert. Daleel looked back, watching as Zahra began to slow down on her horse to a full stop. "What are you doing now –"

"There was a reason I came to their villages," Zahra snorted, jumping off of the horse as she opened her bag and pulled out the Millennium Tome. Daleel stared at her confused, a smirk on her face as she began to flip through the pages. "When I was at the Oracle of Delphi I was given a prophecy and if I destroy this book my journey to finding all my memories will begin," she tried to explain. "Look, I know you've never liked the idea, but this is my life, my future. I move forward, but something is always holding me back and I have to find out why. Please understand –"

"Zahra you don't have to explain," he smirked, causing the horse to circle around her till he aimed it back towards the desert. "I will wait for you to be done. Just make sure you're alive, alright?"

"Sure," she smirked, watching Daleel and the others leave before sighing and looking down at the book. "I just… don't know… –"

"Woman of the Hidden Village of Thieves," a voice suddenly said, Zahra turning around and noticing the ghost of the ancient king, Karbukef, standing behind her, "the spell is in the back of the book." She nodded and flipped through the book, her eyes coming into contact with one of the last spells. "… Where are the souls –"

"Your villagers aren't needed for this ritual," Zahra snorted, using her foot to draw a circle around herself before she threw her bag outside of the ring. "I'll be using my own soul for this –"

"One soul cannot be enough," he snarled, "but you need a multitude, a dozen thousand, for this to work –"

"Then you don't know my powers," Zahra smirked at him, "because there's more to this body of flesh then you'll ever understand." Deciding to ignore him Zahra looked down at the book, sighing as she began to read from the text in the language only known to those who know the gods. Her voice was low, the sound direct, and her chant pushed the ghost away and towards the edge of the circle. A ring of energy surrounded her, the winds pulling her into a vortex and pushed everything out. She hummed, her eyes beginning to glow again as she placed a hand on the pages of the book and closed her eyes. She didn't even need to read from the text anymore. Her mind was telling her exactly what she had to say.

"… The gods of the netherworld hear my cry," she continued, "listen to your subject, Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu, in our plight. Release the souls trapped in AmAuNet and by my soul destroy the Millennium Tome. Use my powers and the souls I've captured, to end this spite against the villagers of AmAuNet. Hear me; **hear me**, gods of Egypt. Take my soul and let it burn; let the flames of damnation consume my soul. Let Ammit devour my soul and rip apart my heart. Let my body be broken and scattered to the winds. Hear me, gods of Egypt, gods of the netherworld, **take me now, a soul brought back from the dead, **_**Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu!**_" She threw the book to the ground and her eyes opened in horror, covering her glowing green eyes from the light above. A bright glow came from the god that showed itself to her, but Zahra squinted and she couldn't see whom the bright light came from. The green gemmed eyes of the jackal necklace around her neck glowed, Zahra putting her hands down as she felt a hand grab hold of her heart.

"Why?" a multitude of voices asked, combined between both men and women, old and young. It made Zahra shudder, but the voices continued. "Why do the mortals wish to destroy the book we have given to them?"

"You idiots," she snarled, "you don't understand! Because of this book's creation there are spirits lost in AmAuNet. Because of this book the creation of the Millennium items were forged… from the souls of evil that lurk in the contents of the human heart." She huffed, "and you don't understand why I am angry with you, gods. You play favorites on earth and let mortals suffer. It's sickening –"

"You do not understand **yourself**," the voices told her, Zahra's eyes widening as she felt the grip around her heart tightening, suffocating her as she winced in pain. "You are made from the darkness and from the darkness you must stay. You are born to walk the earth for eternity and guide souls into the netherworld. That is your destiny –"

"That may be so," she huffed, "but I will never destroy the world for your selfish reasons! –"

"We are angry," they snarled, "because man has taken our powers away –"

"Perhaps you shouldn't have been cocky and create a book for them to use," she smirked. "If you hadn't we wouldn't be having this conversation right now –"

"But they did," they told her, "and now _man will __**pay**_."

"They won't pay by **my** hands," Zahra snarled, "you hear me –"

"They will!" they laughed at her, "they will! One cannot run from their destiny! You come back to Egypt and now we have you in our grasps. You're even giving your soul to us. We will make sure you carry out our plans, or else dire consequences will be dealt. If you don't destroy this world we will. We will create anew what is wrong with this world. You will be the hand that carries out our deeds."

"Over my dead body," she growled at them. Then she let out a gasp, feeling her heart being ripped from her body. She blinked in confusion, the pain surging through her body turning into a plain numbness as she fell to the ground with a _**'thud'**_. Zahra's eyes closed, the glowing coming from her necklace stopped, and the light around her began to diminish.

"RANPU WAKE UP!" Daleel cried out, rushing as fast as he could to her body. Then lightning came down from the sky and struck the book, causing the horse to jump up startled and throw Daleel onto the ground. He groaned, snarling as he crawled over to her remains, seeing a smote pile of ash next to her body. "Zahra…" he said quietly, slowly picking up her body, "Are you there Zahra? Are you still here?" He saw her chest rising up and down, but she wasn't breathing through her mouth. Snarling he set her down, opening her mouth and pressing his lips against her own.

He let in a large breath of air into her mouth and Zahra's eyes shot open, throwing Daleel to the ground. "UGH, DISGUSTING DALEEL!" Zahra snarled, Daleel laughing at her as she tackled him to the ground and pinned him down. "What the gods –"

"What happened?" he asked, Zahra narrowing her eyes and sitting up.

She sighed, putting a hand on her head and looking around. She felt as if she was in a daze, Daleel frowning as she started to groan and blinked her eyes a few times to orient herself. "… Why am I still alive?" she asked, staring at him confused. Standing to her feet as if nothing was wrong she looked towards the city, her eyes widening in shock. She could see a large black beast, wings fanning out as it let out a snarl and a gust of air was sent her way. Zahra let out a yell, holding her hands in front of her face as she shuddered and tried to stay calm. "D-do you see that?" she pointed to the creature.

"What are you freaking out about **this** time Zahra?" Daleel sighed and stood up, brushing the dirt from his clothes and putting his hands on her shoulders. "There's nothing there. Let's go home and forget about this – Zahra, look at me when I talk to you!" he growled and shook her shoulders, but Zahra's eyes were still on the beast that had suddenly emerged in her mind.

As her vision began to come back to her, she could see spirits running around, trying to evade the beast's attacks. She shuddered as one was directly hit by the beast, feeling a chill roll down her spine as she watched the massacre continue. "_**Y-you**_," she growled and pushed Daleel to the side, the man staring at her confused as she took a few steps forward and stopped, "you're back aren't you –"

"You are looking at the shadow realm, little Sutekh," a being smirked, light radiating off of its body as it stepped onto the ground and stared at her with large blue bird eyes with a hawk-like head. "And those are lost souls, which haven't made their way to the afterlife yet," he smirked, "for one reason or another –"

"Horus this is your doing isn't it?!" she snarled, "Answer me! –"

"_My my_, a temper I see," he shook his head. "Much like my uncle –"

"Stop playing coy!" she growled. "You have no right to show me these things –"

"This isn't me," Horus told her, poking her on the forehead, "but your mind that is showing you these events. Right now you have been weakened and the hold around the dark creature, Zorc Necrophades, is becoming shattered. So all those little souls you've been keeping safe from the shadows will soon be devoured –"

"Then stop it!" Zahra cried out at him, her eyes full of worry.

"I can't," he smirked, "only **you**. Come on Zahra you know how this works. The little souls will just disappear into the wind and not bother us anymore," he chuckled.

"If that is so," she looked down to the ground, walking towards him, "then that means that those are **my** souls, **my** comrades, and _**my**_ responsibility!" She shoved him in the chest, the falcon god glaring at her. "Get out of my way Horu –"

"Not until we have a negotiation," he snorted.

"You'll have to fight me if you expect me to help you," she growled back, grabbing for the sword by her side.

He narrowed his eyes and grabbed for his own sword, but suddenly noticed that the handle was missing. "What the –"

"Looking for something?" Zahra smirked, waving the weapon in front of his face with her own sword sheaved in its holster. Then she narrowed her eyes and took off into the city, Horus screeching loudly and taking off after her.

Daleel shuddered, confused by what he just saw. "A-a-aaa-a god?!" he jumped to his feet, brushing the sand off before looking around for a horse. He saw from a distance the group of wild dogs running into the city, chasing after the thief and the god.

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: So there we go! One of the longest chapters I've written ^^ and still more action =D So for the creatures that showed up, yes Crawling Dragon is a type of yugioh card. You can look it up if you want to know how it looks like. And Zorc showing up, what's that about? And Horus? Maybe Zahra's going crazy… if she wasn't already XD Anyways I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. I'll SEE YOU NEXT TIME! X3**

Horus – one of the oldest and most significant deities in ancient Egyptian religion. God of the sky, sun, war, and protection. Often depicted as a falcon, most likely a lanner or peregrine, or as a man with a falcon head. Also known as Nekheny, meaning "falcon"


	21. The Trapped Spirits

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

Alexis © missb111

**A/N: Well let's see… I have some time before my next class so I figured I'd review this next chapter. Hey guys! What's up?! I'm super-duper excited because my birthday is 6 days from now… yes my birthday is 9/11. Whatever. Anyways my parents plan on buying me a new laptop cord so I won't have to borrow theirs anymore! =D Also they'll be getting a small cake from this awesome German bakery that I love to get sweets from, so even if my birthday will be small I'll have a stomach full of filling sweets! =3 And now to this chapter… I guess this is a continuation of what happened last chapter. We get to see what happens to those souls in AmAuNet and all that fun stuff… well I won't give everything away. I just hope you enjoy this next chapter**

! #$%^&*()

Zahra tucked the sword under her arm and took off towards the city, ignoring Horus' screams as she ran through the streets. She sped up at inhuman speeds trying to create some distance between herself and the god, but he was much faster and was soon gaining on her. "Give it up you damn soul!" he snarled, "or by the gods I'll have your heart ripped right out of you!"

"Go right ahead and try!" she snarled back, suddenly jumping onto a crate and leaping into the air. Zahra landed onto the edge of a roof and climbed away, leaping from building to building trying to get Horus away from her. "I'm sick of your games! Just tell me the truth!" She grumbled, hearing the god screech at her in frustration. There were reasons why she left Egypt and this was one of them. Horus was always on her tail trying to get her to do… whatever it was he wanted her to do. He never does tell her, which Zahra finds infuriating, and she will continue to run away from his attacks till she is told everything he wants her to do. _Kill the pharaoh, kill the pharaoh_: that's all she ever heard till she left Egypt for good. She snarled. She won't let the god win, "Not like before," she huffed and looked around, trying to find her destination. It was a long time since Zahra heard of the prophesy told by the oracle. There were details upon details described to her, what her fate would be and what will happen to her once she's back in Egypt, but she wasn't looking forward to any of them. The only one she wished to fulfill was saving the lost souls, and on Zahra's mind was to do just that.

The only way was to kill herself, but not by any blade. It had to be by a divine blade, a sword crafted for a god. Zahra looked up and her eyes widened, hearing a cry for someone to save them as soul after soul ran away from the large creature. "Just what is that thing?" she tilted her head to the side. Horus called it Zorc, but Zahra felt there was much more to that creature then just a name. Did she really know its name? Sadly she couldn't quite recall, but there was more to the name then just Zorc. There was a reason for its creation and Zahra had a feeling she'll find out soon what that reason was. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw a wave of energy move her way, ducking just in time as it almost hit Horus behind her. "Damn it," she mumbled under her breath, noticing the priests on the ground coming towards them.

"Stop or I'll have to kill you!" Horus continued to yell at her, Zahra looking back with a smirk.

"But that's exactly my plan Horus!" she yelled back, noticing the building she was running towards and leaping into the air. The priests watched as the thief used her body to slam through the thin ceiling, a wave of light rushing in after her as the black cloak fluttered and slammed into a stone altar.

Zahra let out an _**'oof'**_ and then a groan as she got up, quickly regaining her sight as she shook her head and pulled out the sword. "Don't you dare take another step **god**!" she growled, Horus pausing at the steps of the altar and holding up his hands.

"Now now, let's not be hasty –"

"All my life you gods have been trying to control me," she snarled at him, "and tell me what to do. I **won't** end up like Karbukef. I'm not your patsy, Horus. I am not weak! I left to get stronger, and now that I am you will **not** take over me! This is _**my**_ life! These are my choices; and the gods as my witness: anyone who stands in my way will fall to their knees and die by my blade!" Zahra lifted up the sword and Horus ran towards her, reaching out to grab hold of her hand. He was too late. She stabbed herself right in the chest, the light emitting from the blade slicing through her body and out the other end.

She gasped in pain, her eyes flickering close, and before Horus could pull out the blade she laid dead on the altar. "N-no…" he paused, looking at the blood before slipping his sword back into its holster. He grabbed her head, glaring at it through angry eyes. "You should have listened Zahra," he snarled, "and now I'll have to do everything the **hard** way –" Horus watched as her body suddenly turned into sand, dissolving through his fingers and falling onto the ground. He growled. "I know you're there Zahra!" he screeched. "Come out before I have to kill you myself!"

! #$%^&*()

Zahra felt pain flowing through her veins, but once her heart beat its last note she felt nothing. Outright nothingness and darkness surrounded her vision, the light of the god disappearing as her body plopped on the cold, stone slab. She felt herself floating, disappearing into the air, but then she heard the god screech. Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped in horror, finding herself in the shadows and that the city had turned into only large, dark shadows. She narrowed her eyes and noticed the large dark creature, attacking the souls and swatting them aside. Zahra could see it better now, its wings flapping and sending a damp, chilling breeze through her body, its eyes burning red as it's glared at its victims. Slowly sneaking away from Horus she took off down the streets, pulling out the sword by her side and running at the creature blindly and without thinking. "What the –"

"YIAH!" Zahra cried out and pushed the soul out of the way, slashing the monster in the hand and cutting off its finger. The creature jumped back and let out a surprised screech, completely thrown off guard as Zahra stood between itself and the other souls. "Get back or I'll kill you!" she snarled, gripping the sword in her hand tightly as her jaded green eyes glowed eerily in the darkness.

"No mortal can stop me!" the creature laughed, slashing at Zahra as she quickly evaded his attacks.

"Then you haven't met me!" she smirked, running up a building and jumping into the air. The creature's eyes widened as Zahra let out a battle cry, embedding the blade deep into the monster's neck. Then her eyes widened, the monster smirking when he noticed he wasn't affected and swatted her away. She yelped as she was thrown back, the sword dissolving into black pudge and disappearing once it hit the foggy ground. "Damn," she snarled, noticing a large cut across the side of her head.

"Kid get back," a spirit beside her ordered, two strong arms grabbing hold of her from behind and pulling her away. "What a turn of events," the soul smirked slyly beside him, the soul next to him shaking his head.

"Don't even start –"

"Well now we can take down this creature with the girl back on our side!" the spirit laughed.

The other soul looked back and noticed the pain Zahra was in, the woman groaning as she put a hand to her head and tried to stop the bleeding. "I won't let you get her involved –"

"Either way we can't get out of this," the spirit huffed. "What? You just want to retreat? After all the souls it has devoured?"

"No. But –"

"I get it, you're worried," he sighed, "but this may be the only way –"

"I-I could go back t-o the real world," Zahra interrupted them, the two spirits turning to her waiting for her to speak. She blinked. All she saw was fuzzy, shadowy lines, but she felt that she knew the voices from somewhere. All she could see was that one was much taller than the other, the taller soul's eyes burning purple aura at her while the shorter one had brown, much darker eyes glowing at her with a hint of sadness kept in its eyes. "Bring you w-ith me –"

"That's not a good idea –"

"I think that's a great idea!" The one with purple eyes exclaimed. "At least get the others out of the way. I'll figure out a way to stop the creature again –"

"No stay with them," the other spirit with brown eyes told him. "They need you –"

They paused, watching as Zahra stood to her feet and took off her necklace. Her hands wobbled as she held the object out to them, letting out a soft chant. "Woh kid what are you doing –" The spirits let out a shriek as they were sucked into the object, the cowering souls behind her spinning around her and disappearing into the necklace.

The green stones glowed in the jackal necklace, the lost souls crying at her and pleading for her to let them go. "I can't let you get hurt," Zahra snarled, putting the chain back around her neck. "Apparently you're my responsibility. Don't argue with me." She looked up at the creature before bolting away, running as fast as she could to escape the creature. Her hands began to glow a light white as she summoned a portal back to the human world, letting out a cry as the light shined on her face and she jumped through the portal she created.

! #$%^&*()

Amasa let out a _**'whine'**_, seeing Zahra stab herself and fall limp on the altar. Then his eyes lit up, watching as a spirit flew out of her body and formed in the middle of the streets right outside. "Zahra…" he thought aloud as he slowly made his way towards her, watching her spirit run through the streets and towards a creature that was suddenly appearing in his sights. "Zorc," he snarled in disgust, watching as his master tried attacking the creature and failed. He growled. There was no way he could help her if she was in the realm of shadows. He'd have to kill himself to save her, but unlike Zahra he knew he would be dead if he tried. Then he saw two spirits mesmerize in front of Zahra, shielding her from the creature as they began to talk silently among themselves. "M-master…" he through aloud, looking up to hear panting behind him.

"Father what is going on –"

"Son do you see this?" Amasa asked, Kalil looking up before squinting his eyes and blinking confused.

"W-what's that large creature –"

"Zorc Necrophades," Amasa explained to his son. "This is the shadow creature I was describing to you, the creature you must keep away from Zahra at all costs."

"But why –"

"Because if that monster succeeds in taking Zahra's body and soul he will appear into the world of the living and destroy everything in existence," he told him. "The realm between this life and the afterlife will disappear, the safe haven for wandering souls trying to find their way to their destination will vanish. Trust me," Amasa snarled, "I've come across him several times. Zahra doesn't need to know about this. Just do as I've told you and keep Zahra safe."

"I will father," Kalil nodded, looking behind him at the wild dogs that had followed them and heard their conversation. Their faces had a look of dread on their faces, but Kalil just let out a snort and shooed them away. "Fellah, my best friend, keep the others away. If my father and I die in this fight you must keep the pack together and strong."

"I will my friend," Fellah tilted his head in a slight bow, letting out a _**'bark' **_and ushering the group to run out into the desert where the other thieves may be waiting.

"I hate it that Zahra never tells me her plans," Amasa snarled. "She must still be trying to find her memories again… but this time she won't be able to turn back, no matter how much she'll try."

"I don't like the sound of that –"

"Listen to me," Amasa interrupted Kalil, "when Zahra appears into the living world we'll attack. Snarl at him, grab hold of his arms or legs, and use the powers of your soul to stun the creature for Zahra to close the portal. It may be the only way to save them."

"Y-yes," Kalil nodded, but he let in a gulp at the thought of giving up himself, body and soul, to the shadows.

"Be strong my son," Amasa encouraged the boy, crouching down and getting into ready position as Kalil did the same.

Suddenly a portal appeared, Zahra jumping through and falling to the ground in pain. She quickly spun around on the sand and held up her hands, trying as fast as she could to close the portal, but Zorc was faster and reached out his hand towards her, her eyes widening as she shut them and waited for her fate. Though no blow to her body came and Zahra opened her eyes, finding Kalil and Amasa grabbing hold of the hand and trying to pull the creature away. "Amasa!" Zahra cried out in terror, jumping to her feet and quickly putting pressure on her head to stop the bleeding. She looking around and tried to think, but her brain was rattled and she was losing blood fast. Her sight continued to get blurry and she could barely think, only one thought coming to her mind as she reached for the dagger tucked under her dress and pulling it out. "I-I guess this will do," she huffed, the dagger glowing and quickly growing to the size of a sword. "Please guide me, Sword of Anubis," she whispered to herself, narrowing her eyes and gripping the handle tightly. Then Zahra let out a cry, running as fast as she could towards the creature and slashed at its hand.

Zorc screeched as his thumb was cut off, Kalil falling to the ground and quickly letting go of the thumb. "Human!" Kalil called to Zahra, "Close the portal! Father wants you to!"

"But –"

"It's the only way to save this world!" Kalil explained, Zahra narrowing her eyes at him and wondering where he got that information. Then she shook her head. This wasn't the time to think of those thoughts. She held out her hand and it began to glow in a dark haze, the portal around Zorc's hand slicing through his skin. Zahra closed her eyes, hoping Amasa would end up on their side, and clutched her hand in a fist as the portal closed completely. Hearing Kalil snarl Zahra opened her eyes, widening in terror to find the creature's hand turning into a large shadow creature. "What is that thing! –"

"Kalil attack!" Zahra quickly ordered, Kalil jumping to his feet and running towards the creatures. He growled and jumped into the air, snapping his teeth around a monster's neck and cutting off its head. Zahra used her sword to slice the other monsters into pieces, their remains scattering on the sand and disappearing into blackened goo until it disappeared into the sand. Zahra let out soft pants, Kalil slowly making his way to her as she held her hand up to her head. "W-why am I seeing this?" she snarled, seeing the large creature grabbing hold of Amasa and slowly tearing his soul apart.

"Father! –"

"Damn I can't take this!" she growled and took off her necklace. She placed it around Kalil, tying the back so it was secure before slowly taking steps towards the creature.

"W-what are you doing –"

"I don't leave anyone behind Kalil," she explained, blinking and shaking her head. "Stay awake… damn…" she growled and knew her blood was wearing thin. She won't be able to survive a slash to the head for very long, especially since it was an attack by a powerful creature. "Look, keep that necklace on you at all times. I'll be back for that necklace… soon…"

"Master don't –"

"Zorc you'll pay for that!" she cried out, running as fast as she could towards the creature. The portal suddenly opened and she disappeared inside, Kalil coming to a halt once the portal closed up before him.

"Zahra come back!" Kalil cried out, watching as the shadows grabbed hold of her.

Zahra reached for the dog, Amasa blinking as he felt a tight grip around his paw. "… Z-zahra –"

"I won't leave you behind Amasa," she smiled to him, her hands wrapping around his waist as she pulled him close to her chest and let the shadows grab hold of them and rip through their bodies.

! #$%^&*()

High above in the palace walls Alexis watched the whole thing, watching from a balcony as her brother rode off with the pharaoh to investigate the sudden disturbance. "What is going on –"

"Zahra where are you?" Alexis sighed, ignoring the boy beside him as she looked down below. Her eyes widened, spotting Zahra running across the buildings and jumping into a temple. She watched everything. The burst of light that was created when Zahra killed herself. The screech the god made when Zahra disappeared from this world… the creature… oddly enough very close to the place as it appeared in her sight and began to come after Zahra. And the hand that reached for her when she made her escape, seeing Zahra disappear back into the shadows and disappear from her line of sight. "Atem," she spoke to the young boy, the prince looking over at her confused at her sudden voice, "there are forces in this world you will never fully understand. As pharaoh you need to realize this world will never be in your control… your world and your life is never your control." She sighed, "If I fall unconscious and die, tell my brother I love him."

"M-miss what are you saying –"

"The gods have been against us from the beginning," she continued, "when those Millennium items were created. They are a beautiful gift, but they bring about a terrible curse. Please, for the love of the gods, don't lose yourself to the shadows. I've had one person I hold dear kill themselves time and time again to the shadows. Don't make the same mistake my family has." Atem's eyes widened as he watched Alexis summon her ka, a green aura surrounding her and soon concentrating into her hands.

Alexis looked up, seeing Zahra cry out in pain as she was being ripped apart by the shadows, the dog in her arms staying put as she held him tight. She let her warm aura escape her and flow through the air, grabbing around Zahra and throwing her out of the shadows. Then Alexis collapsed, groaning in pain as she felt her body drained. "Alexis!" Atem cried out and tried to pick her up, calling for the guards to come and help them.

She looked up and groaned, watching as a horse rode up in the distance and grab hold of the bodies on the ground. "Z-zahra…" she frowned, watching as the horse disappeared into the desert while the pharaoh and priests chased after them.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"_Strike! Strike! Guard! Guard!... There you go Zahra! One more time!"_

"_B-but Orion –"_

"_One more and I'll let you rest for the day," he told her, Zahra letting out a sigh as she gripped the wooden sword in her hand and began to strike him. It had been several months since she had run away from home, months since she started this program Daleel wanted her to do. Since the beginning Orion has been her personal trainer, but over the few months she had Zahra was placed into competitions to show off her strength to other warriors in the area. Oddly enough there were a few girls who would participate alongside Zahra, but she had to work extra hard to learn everything since she was behind everyone else by a few years. They had been learning to fight as soldiers and warriors since they were five years old, Zahra only started a few months ago. Even though Orion says she's improving greatly, Zahra knew she had a long way to go before she would be as strong as everyone else. He mainly had her working on attack and defense with a sword, seeing as her short-range skills and hand-to-hand combat skills weren't fully developed yet. _

_But she was beginning to worry. There were many things she had told Orion, but he needed to know he where she came from, but she had to be sure that he wouldn't tell Daleel certain details about herself before telling him things he needed to know: why she left and etcetera. Zahra was starting to trust him, but she was still hesitant. If she bluntly tells him everything about herself they can get into trouble and she didn't want him to get killed. Yet, she was running out of time. The days were starting to get shorter and the harvest season was coming to a close. Orion had her working out in the fields to gather the harvest and store for later, but Zahra knew that by the end of the harvest she'll undergo a transformation. She never liked it; it scared Seto and Alexis so much that they'd leave her alone for those days she was transformed, but always she felt better when she did. She felt stronger, had gained more energy, and would be able to survive the winter with the extra powers she gains over the few days she has. This year it'll be fifteen days while she under goes the transformation. Perhaps she'll be able to keep herself hidden for the few days she's changed –_

"_Okay you're done!" Orion smiled, Zahra letting out soft pants as she dropped the sword and slumped to the ground. "Hey now! You still have to help carry the grapes into the storage house," he grinned. Then he sighed, shaking his head as Zahra lay emotionless on the ground and kicked her gently on the side of her waist. "Come on kid," he sighed. "If you want to be part of our group you'll have to work –"_

"_You don't work," she huffed._

_Orion grinned triumphantly as Zahra shifted onto her back and looked up at him with a glare. "I don't have to."_

"_Why?" she groaned. "What makes you so special?"_

"_I've been under Daleel's services for years now," he explained, "and gained his trust. It's only a matter of time till I have my freedom –"_

"_You didn't answer my question," she sighed and shook her head, sitting up and brushing the dirt from her back._

"_Well I thought I explained everything to you –"_

"_I think it's a bit dumb that he has a soldier, a warrior out doing errands for him," Zahra snorted. "I mean, sure this business Daleel has is import and exporting items, but why have a soldier as a merchant? Why train a child for warfare if all we're doing is 'supposedly' selling items? It makes no sense Orion. I just don't get it," she groaned and slumped back down, Orion shaking his head and continuing to gently kick her in her side. _

"_It's simple really," he snorted. "It's a way to defend ourselves. If you don't know the basics of defense you'll end up getting robbed by bandits. Being a warrior makes you strong. Learning how to kill builds a roughness in your heart. There is more to his game then just products," Orion tried to explain, "he's creating a domain. You will learn this one day Zahra, when we are sent off on our first mission. Our group has spread far and wide. For merchants like ourselves we will have to sign in at every town we come upon, get missions, and fulfill them. Some are simple. You have to deliver a shipment of goods from one place to another. Others aren't as easy. You will come across a route filled with bandits or there is competition and you will have to kill someone. Better yet, someone didn't pay their debts and you've come to collect them. There are many things we do. Our jobs aren't set in stone. We are merchants one day and warriors the next day… it's a vicious game Zahra."_

_Zahra sighed and sat up, jumping off of the ground and brushing the dirt from her clothes. "… Just what are we called then?" she asked. "Do we have a specific name for ourselves?"_

"_Not really," Orion shrugged. "Various places call us by different names. All you need is a known name and a way to identify yourself. I use a ring," he explained as he held up his ring to Zahra, "and it's the only sort of ring that has this insignia on it."_

"_Oh I get it!" she smirked. "… Then if that's the case… maybe I'll change my name."_

"_Oh?" he asked. "Why will you?"_

"_I don't want my real name to be known," she explained, "and I just was to disappear in a sea of people."_

"_Rough life?" he shrugged, not exactly expecting an answer as he began to walk away. "That reminds me, you need to tell me everything so we can put you on record. Your name, where you came from, all of that fun stuff."_

"_Yes sir –"_

"_We'll do that tonight," he continued, "and Daleel will show up tomorrow. Be ready!" _

_Zahra sighed as she watched Orion leave, picking up the equipment and stuffing them in a bag. "Oh Amasa," she pouted and shook her head, trying to keep a tear from falling down her face, "I wish you were here. It's so lonely… I need someone to talk to." She slung the bag over her shoulder and hustled after Orion, knowing full well that she didn't have a lot of time before sundown. _

)(*&^%$# !

_Zahra kept close to Orion, afraid to leave his sight as they walked through a tavern and towards the back. Noticing a man coming towards her she hid behind Orion's cloak, Orion looking down at her confused as the drunken man passed by them without even giving them a glance. "Kid, are you okay?" he asked as Zahra wiped some sweat from her brow._

"_Y-yeah I'm fine," Zahra tried to tell him, though her stuttering voice wasn't very convincing._

_Orion shrugged and continued on their way, walking into the back and unlocking a door. Once it was closed and locked behind them he let out a sigh, lighting a few candles as Zahra watched him from the bed. "Now where's the paper?" he thought aloud, rustling through drawers till he came across a few blank scrolls. Taking out one of them he grabbed a random feather and some ink, cutting the end of the long feather with his knife before dipping it into the ink and sprawling out the paper. "Okay," he began, "I'll ask you a few questions and then you'll answer completely and fully –"_

"_Orion, if I answer everything, do you **have** to put everything there?" she asked with a worried look on her face. _

"_Kid, it's better to just do as I say," he huffed. "The sooner we get this done the better. I was supposed to have this done weeks ago, but you've been reluctant to tell me anything. Now you're Daleel's slave. Start acting like a servant and do as he says. He likes to keep records of all his servants, so it's best to start this off right now. Now… name?"_

"_Ranpu," Zahra answered, Orion glancing over at her before giving her a smirk and writing down her answer in Greek._

"_Full name?"_

"_Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu."_

"_Age?"_

"_About –"_

"_I need exact Zahra," he snorted at her._

_She sighed. "Fourteen," she told him, thinking for a moment, "but I'll turn fifteen in a few more days."_

"_Oh, congrates," he mumbled under his breath as he wrote down the number fourteen. "Birthday?"_

"_N-not exactly sure –"_

"_We'll leave that blank for now," he told her. "Parents?"_

"_Don't know," Zahra shrugged, the man looking at her with a frown before looking back to the scroll._

"_Where did you live?"_

"_Egypt," Zahra told him, "uhhh… I don't know the city, but it was in Upper Egypt."_

"_Siblings?"_

"_None that I know of," Zahra explained, "but I was adopted."_

"_Did you run away?" he asked._

"_I guess you can say that," she shrugged. "Yes, adopted and ran away."_

"_How about you tell me your past?" Orion asked, Zahra looking at him weary. "Look kid, I need to put **something** down. Just tell me what happened and I'll decide from there what to put down."_

"… _I was eleven when they found me," Zahra began, "and when my family found me I lost all my memories. I don't recall if I had parents… I don't recall if I had siblings. Everything was wiped clean and I started life with them. So in reality I don't even know if I come from Egypt," she shrugged, "but I know my name, Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu. Ummm… there is some stuff you should probably know." She let in a big inhale before exhaling completely. "I was raised to be a priestess, but I trained myself to be a common thief and fighter. I didn't like the idea of working for the pharaoh… that's a reason why I left," she explained. "Secondly, my adopted mother wanted all her children, including me, to be priests. When I started my training they learned that… that I have powers…" she looked away, noticing Orion's glance, "dark powers that could burn people in an instant and dissolve them into the sands. I-I don't know why I have them, but I do. I was called cursed in the village I was living in and I'm still cursed now," she continued with a frown. _

"_There are many things I don't know about. I don't understand what I am and what my part is in this world. I wish I knew. I wish! I know that becoming a priestess wouldn't have been a good thing for me… I don't know why, but something inside of me told me to turn away," she explained. "T-there is also something else," she looked over at him before looking down. "O-on my birthday, or that's what they've decided to be my birthday, I-I have to leave civilization and go out into the wild." She bit down her lip to stop herself from sobbing, "A-and when I do, on that night… at midnight… w-wings… white large wings spring out of my back. No reason! They just do," she shook her head and wiped a tear that tried to roll down her face. "I-I'm always in pain when that happens and they stay with me for whatever age I am. I don't like going into towns because everyone gets scared… they call me a monster or they worship me as a god. Either way I don't like it and I leave… I'd rather be gone and disappeared then around other people," she sighed._

"… _When does this happen?" he asked quietly, noticing the shiver that rolled down Zahra's spine when he spoke._

"_Ummm… towards the end of harvest time –"_

"_That's already here!" Orion yelled before shaking his head and snarling under his breath. "Zahra Zahra… you need to tell me these things ahead of time. Now is there anything else?"_

"… _The reason I left is a bit more complicated then refusing my mother and special powers," Zahra shrugged and leaned back against the side of the bed, looking towards a nearby window. "There… well I knew I had to get away," she explained, "and instead of facing my problems I left. While I was up in Lower Egypt I got caught stealing food. So they brought me in and placed me in jail. Then they… a guard… while others were watching…" Orion paused and looked over, watching as Zahra began to break down and start to cry. She pulled her knees up to her chest, putting her head against her knees as she tried to keep herself from trembling. "They were just… evil men. I was being kept in prison for months and months… they didn't even care. The priests would try taking my soul… they were experimenting on me, and once they got bored with me they dumped me in jail to starve to death. Knowing that… knowing that I wouldn't be speaking to the priests, they… they shoved me against the wall and…" _

_Zahra couldn't take it, tears starting to fall down her face. "I didn't want them to! My guards walked into my cell, locked the door, a-and touched me. It was disgusting," she snarled, "and I didn't like it one bit. They ripped off my clothes and made me touch… their…" Zahra shuddered and clutched her fists. "But the oddest thing… when one of them was about to shove his member into me, a creature popped out of the shadows and grabbed him. Then another claw grabbed the other and left me alone. I didn't know what happened," she sighed, "but they were gone. The keys were left on the ground and I ran… I ran as far away from Egypt as I could, climbing into a random crate to escape. So… that's why I left and I never want to go back, **ever**."_

_Orion looked over at her with concern, sighing as he set the feather down on the table and walked over to the bed. Zahra flinched when he sat down, feeling his hand gently resting on top of her knee. "I was told at a very young age that a person mustn't run away from their problems, but confront them," he began, Zahra looking up at him and rubbing her eyes. "You may not want to go back right now, but the first mistake you made was leaving in the first place. You made a choice to leave, but you also have a choice to return. You have time to think about this. Maybe not today, this year, but you have time to decide if you want to return to your homeland. I know I was afraid to come back to Sparta," he chuckled lightly, "but now I know what happened to my family. Now I know that my sister could be alive somewhere and all I have to do is find her… What those men did was disrespectful to you and to any good, moral person. Those men got was what they deserved… I'm just sorry you had to go through something like that."_

"_Y-yeah," Zahra nodded, "b-ut now that you know… w-will you tell Daleel –"_

"_He doesn't need to know those details," he smirked. "I doubt he'd care. Besides it's about time someone stands up for you. Let's see… I'll write down that wing thing you said, but that'll be it. I'll leave details out of my information. It's alright if you do the same."_

_Zahra smiled weakly at him, a weary look in her eyes as he stood up and walked back to the table. "T-thank you Orion," she said as the man began to write in the scroll. "… Why will you do that?"_

"_My sister is about your age," he shrugged, "and to think that someone could do that, let alone other people know… I don't like it."_

_She smirked, sighing as she sat up in the bed and drank down a cup of water. "Is there anything else –"_

"_No that's alright," he smirked. "Go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning." Zahra nodded and yawned, kicking off her shoes and crawling into bed. Orion watched out of the corner of his eye as the girl curled up into the bed, sighing as he looked back to the scroll. "Disgusting men," he growled under his voice. "If I ever see guards do that to a little girl I'll kill them on the spot." She smirked in her sleep, wrapping the sheets tighter around her body as she felt a chill in the room. For once she wasn't afraid to sleep with another man in the room, realizing how tired she was and instantly falling into a deep slumber._

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: Well… I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. If anything has confused you since you've started reading don't be afraid to ask. I won't mind answering any questions you may have ^^ And now to do homework… whoopee… DX WELL SEE YOU LATER! =D **

Fellah – Arabic – farm-hand


	22. The Former Masters

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Sorry that I haven't posted anything in a while. My mind wandered elsewhere and the chapter I'm trying to write… well I short of have writer's block. That's all there is to it ^^' Oh! I was wondering if anyone wanted to see Bakura more often. Would he still be smug? I don't know… that's why I'm stuck. Plus I'm a bit bored at where I'm at. That's all. I want to get to the fun stuff and it's taking me a while. Anyways I hope you enjoy this! =D**

! #$%^&*()

"_Hello Daleel," Zahra bowed to the man that walked up to them, Orion turning to the girl and raising an eyebrow. "How was the trip?"_

"_As boring as ever," Daleel chuckled, "but your Greek seems to be improving. Orion, do you have your report?"_

"_Yes I do," he answered, taking out the scroll under his arms and handing it over to the man, "but I think we need to discuss something first –"_

"_We can do that in the afternoon," Daleel snorted. "It was a long journey." He waved his hand at the servants behind him and they disappeared into the building behind them, Zahra looking up at Orion wondering what Daleel wanted as Orion gave her a reassuring smile. "How about you show me your moves after I have a few hours of rest."_

"_Sure thing," Zahra nodded. "Uhhh… what exactly –"_

"_The normal stuff. Fighting skills and everything you learned here. Don't **tell~** me you didn't learn something here –"_

"_I did!" she waved her hands in front of her face, "but if that's the case I'll go help with the harvest till your ready."_

"_Oh. You've been having her work?" Daleel looked over at Orion with a smirk. _

"_Of course –"_

"_Wouldn't have expected anything less," Daleel chuckled. "Now let's not have my arrival smother you plans. Go run along and play Zahra."_

"_Yes sir!" Zahra bowed one last time, taking off before Orion could say anything._

"_Orion," Daleel began, walking into the large building with Orion trailing behind him, "did the girl open up to you? Do you know what she is yet?"_

"_I can't quite say sir," Orion told him, "but yes, she is opening up –"_

"_Good," Daleel smirked and walked into a room, a rather large bedroom with fancy sheets on the bed and an extra room to bath in. "What has she told you?"_

"_Well…" Orion paused, watching as Daleel sat down on the bed and looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Daleel, everything she told me is in my report –"_

"_You're lying," Daleel huffed. "What else did she say to you?"_

"… _She told me why she left Egypt," Orion began, "but I won't tell you why. She doesn't want anyone else to know and I vowed I wouldn't. Now as for her training she's improving at a rate that's faster than most children I've met. Also, if you read the report, she told me that every year on her birthday she grows wings –"_

"_Wings you say?" Daleel chuckled. "Well that's new. What else?"_

"_Sir?" Orion looked at him confused._

"_Look Orion, I knew from the moment she saved my ass in the forest that she must be more than human. So tell me **everything** she told you. Or else I won't be able to accept her into our little organization," he smirked and sat back in his bed, sighing as he kicked off his sandals. "Now tell me, what else?"_

"… _The wings sprout out every year towards the end of the harvest season –"_

"_So soon then?" Daleel thought aloud._

"_Yes," Orion narrowed his eyes, "soon… and they last for whatever year of age she had become. So this year it'll be fifteen days, or that's what she told me. She also holds dark powers, but she doesn't know how to control them –"_

"_Then we'll teach her to," Daleel smirked._

_Orion only let out a sigh. "Daleel, if you don't mind me asking, but why are you intrigued with this slave girl? Shouldn't you have her working in one of the buildings as a woman instead of working on fighting and skills as a man?"_

"_You don't want her to die, is that it?" Daleel answered, Orion's eyes widening at the man's comment. "Orion, don't take this the wrong way, but that girl will be a lot better to me fighting than being just another whore. I can tell when she fought. She has the eyes of a natural born killer. If that anger can be harnessed for everything I need done then life will be a lot easier. Dark powers, wings, so what?! She has potential and I want to use that power to do my biding." Orion glared at the man, but Daleel simply shrugged. "I get it. You've grown attached to her. She reminds you of your sister, yes? Well get over it Orion. You may never see your sister again –"_

"_But I have Zahra **right here**," Orion growled, "and I won't let her die either." _

"_Fine," Daleel huffed. "**You** train her. Make sure she knows all that she needs to survive in this world. I trust you to do that."_

"… _What exactly do you plan on having her do –"_

"_Another one of my head merchants, of course. She'll be given her freedom once she completes a few more tasks and can prove that I made the right decision. Zahra will go around the world expanding our trade routes. Simple as that," Daleel shrugged, "and no one would suspect a **woman** to be doing these things. If you train her well and I give her freedom, then I'll grant you yours too. What do you say, old pal?"_

"… _Fine," Orion sighed, "but if that girl gets hurt –"_

"_Do you really think she will?" Daleel raised an eyebrow. "You can't trust through your own training and skills that she can't prove herself?"_

"_I didn't mean it like that –"_

"_Good then," Daleel huffed. "Now how about you babysit that girl of yours?" Orion let out a low growl before walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him, Daleel smirking as he opened the scroll and began to read Orion's report._

! #$%^&*()

_Zahra snarled; sweat falling down her brow as she glared at her opposition. It was a young boy about her age, the cockiest Spartan boy in the area, but the annoying part about this boy is that he had the skills to back it up. She glanced over at Orion, who was sitting next to Daleel on the sidelines, studying her and calculating anything she'd need to work on. "Hey stop looking at your boyfriend **slave~~**" the boy laughed, Zahra turning her head and growled. _

"_He's not my boyfriend –"_

"_And that man you train under? What a joke! He's nothing but a coward and should be killed on the spot for running away from battle," he laughed, Zahra glaring as Orion growled and cursed under his breath. "Come on you little bitch –"_

"_THAT TEARS IT!" Zahra cried out and pulled out her sword, slashing at the boy. He smirked. That's the response he wanted, but as he evaded and tried to find an opening the girl wasn't giving him one. No, even in her anger she was actually much more skillful then when she was calm. Maybe he shouldn't have made her angry, he realized as he was pinned to the ground by the shield in her hand and the sword in the other. "Say it," she growled._

"_I **never** give in," the boy growled back, throwing her off of him as he stood up and jumped towards her. Zahra dropped her shield and sheathed her sword, using only her hands to knock his weapon from his hand and hit him in the back of the neck. "WHA –"_

_With one swift kick of her foot to his knee the boy hit the dirt, Zahra pinning him down with her foot and pulling out her sword to hold against his neck. "You were saying~?" she smirked._

"_You demon –"_

"_Like I care about your insults," Zahra huffed. "You're nothing but a shriveled up faggot with only your words to defend you."_

"_OUCH!" Daleel laughed, the two children looking over at him confused before coming back to their situation._

"_Now how about your surrender, and if you don't I'll slit your throat," Zahra growled. _

"_Hell no! –"_

"_Then die! –"_

"_Okay the woman wins!" the referee stepped into the ring, grabbing Zahra's sword from her before she could actually kill the boy. "Ranpu is the winner!"_

"_Damn!" the boy growled and standing to his feet, glaring at the girl as he trudged over to his own trainer. Noticing the boy's glare Zahra glared back, picking up her shield and snatching the sword from the referee before joining Daleel and Orion. _

"_So how did I do –"_

"_You need to work on your footwork and you're getting lazy with your right hand," Orion huffed._

_Zahra pouted, "I-is that it –"_

"_Orion you're too hard on the girl!" Daleel laughed, rustling up Zahra's hair as she yelped and tried to pry his hands away. "She was perfect! Now kid, what else do you do today?"_

"_Ummmm… Orion?" Zahra looked over at the man looking for guidance._

"_Whatever you want, I guess," Orion shrugged._

_Zahra smirked. "Great! I got some coins for helping a man and his family in the fields. So I'll be in the town… is that okay?"_

"_Yeah that's fine," Orion nodded, "but be back before it gets dark."_

_Zahra nodded and took off, Daleel raising an eyebrow as he looked over at the other man. "You let her go by herself?"_

"_She has my trust," Orion shrugged, "and I've watched her from time to time. She only goes around to the vendors and buys things. Typical woman stuff."_

"_Hah! You don't know if she's hanging out with another boy~?" Daleel smirked._

_Orion rolled his eyes. "I could care less," he snorted. "Now I'm going back. Do you need me to do anything else –"_

"_No," Daleel shook his head. "I need to gather some things from town too." Orion nodded as he turned around, Daleel smirking as he looked towards the road to find Zahra running as fast as she could before someone could follow her._

! #$%^&*()

_Zahra skipped as she walked, looking around at all the vendors and merchants in the little town. They were living in the middle of the country outside of Sparta and the main cities, but close enough that the travel from one place to another was only an hour or two. She was actually given a lot more freedom then at home. Before Zahra would have to tell her mother where she was going, tell Seto where she was going, argue with Seto about where she was going, and eventually end up staying at home or sneaking out later that night. Here she barely had to ask Orion for him to let her go. She didn't know if that was a good thing or not, but it was a lot better than staying at a house all day doing nothing. After all she finished all her chores. She had so many things to do here more than just house work. She helped cook, clean, and wash clothes. Then she had to train with Orion and by the end of the day she only had time to help in the fields for an hour. If she ever had time Orion let her go off by herself, but that was rare and only happened every few weeks. With Daleel around Zahra guessed Orion was being lenient on her, but she knew that once the man was gone the harsh training will greatly increase. _

_Well it's not like living as a slave is bad. She barely thought of herself as a slave most of the time! She was required to wear the clothes that showed she was part of Daleel's house, but even then people would ask her if she was a slave or not. So the clothes really meant nothing for Daleel. Other slaves wore raggedy clothes, but for everyone else she encountered with Orion they wore nice clothes like Daleel. Maybe Orion didn't like fancy clothes, Zahra decided, but sometimes they would be wearing the clothes Zahra wore and other times they would be wearing a completely different style of clothing. She met many different sorts of people just in Sparta, a few of them Egyptians! Orion explained that they were all once slaves, but Daleel freed them with the exception that they'll continue to work for him. Some were outlaws, others had families, and every single one of them had at least one story to tell. She liked meeting with them and listening to their stories, wondering if anyone else was new and had just came into the town yet. Even if you don't know them, if you say you know Daleel or work for him they'll come and help you. That's what Zahra learned a few times when several men tried to take advantage of her. There was someone there to help her out. It was like they were all one big happy family, looking out for their own people and making sure no one messed with them. Zahra liked that. She liked being part of the group… and was starting to like this life better then the life she had in Egypt. Though nothing can compare to the love she had with her adopted family. It was simply time for her to move on. _

_Finding nothing she wanted Zahra turned a corner to notice Daleel walking into a tavern. Zahra smirked. Orion always brought her to that tavern. It was a local meeting spot for their kind, Daleel told her. She guessed Daleel was going to talk to them, but Zahra always ended up in the tavern to talk with whoever had a story to tell. Peeking her head into the building she walked in, noticing that Daleel must be in one of the rooms in the back. "Ranpu you're back!" the man at the bar laughed. "You didn't bring Orion with you yet?" _

"_Not today," Zahra shook her head and sat at the bar. "I don't have business here. I just want to hang out."_

"_So what can I get you –"_

"_How about some beer?" Zahra asked, the man nodding and grabbing a cup and a container of beer. She put a silver coin on the counter, the man quickly taking it from her before no one would notice and Zahra thinking in her mind that she only had a few more coins left._

"_Kid," the man pulled her away from her thoughts, "I saw Daleel come by. Did he talk to you yet?" _

"_He's actually living at our place," Zahra shrugged and began drinking the beer, "but I don't know what he wants me to do –"_

"_From what I know he'll have you be a head merchant," the man thought. "It'll be another year before you earn your freedom, but I bet you that you'll be free soon enough."_

"_You think?" Zahra smirked. "Well…" she sighed, "I don't know. I don't know if I want to be running around for the rest of my life –"_

"_Knowing Daleel you won't have to," the man smirked, knowing full well what the girl was thinking. "Just make sure he gets your report from time to time. Say kid, do you know what your signature will be?"_

"_Yeah," Zahra nodded and pulled out her small pocket knife from under her dress. "I'll use the top handle of my dagger. I doubt anyone else has these engravings."_

"_Here let me see," the man insisted, Zahra handing over the dagger, but making sure the man didn't stash it into his pockets. "… Yes you're right… no one I've come across has those marks… this is Egyptian?"_

"_Yep," Zahra smirked and took the knife, leaning over the counter and pointing at the images. "I only know of the top one. It means Anubis, but there's more there that no one can figure out. I've asked around, but no one I know understands these writings… like it's a combination of various forms of writing that was lost in history."_

"_Well if I ever figure out what that means I'll tell you," the man chuckled. They looked up, noticing a bunch of men laughing in the corner and their faces bright red. "I guess it's time for you to leave kid," the man sighed._

_Zahra smiled and slipped the dagger back into its leather holster. "Yeah I guess. I doubt Orion wants me gone for too long. I'll see you during my next break?"_

"_Yep," the man chuckled. "During the next one. Good luck kid."_

"_Thanks!" Zahra grinned as she ran out the door, careful to not alert attention to herself in case one of the drunken men tries to follow her home. _

! #$%^&*()

_Zahra sighed, sitting outside of the building with her legs to her chest as she stared up at the sky. Orion wandered out of the building, thinking she must have felt uncomfortable sitting in the rocks. Oddly enough she didn't, she felt right at home against the boulder as if it was part of a long memory. She didn't take her gaze off of the sky, but could tell that Orion was walking over to her and sat beside her against the rocks. "How are you kid?" he decided to ask._

"_Fine," she sighed, "but I'm just wondering if my siblings are looking up at the same sky I am."_

"_They probably are," Orion chuckled, "and seeing the same stars you do… Listen, you know that wing think you were talking about –"_

"_I have a feeling it'll be happening in a few more days," Zahra thought aloud, "or even tonight. Why? What do you want me to do?"_

"… _When this happens, don't run away. I want to make sure nothing happens to you –"_

"_But what can you do?" Zahra huffed. "My family didn't know what to do with me. You are probably as clueless as them –"_

"_Just… whatever you do, don't run off. I don't want something worse happening to you because of those… whatever it is. Wings of yours."_

"_Right," Zahra chuckled. "Don't worry about me. There's nothing to fear about it –" she paused, groaning as she felt a sharp pain in her back. "C-crap," she growled under her breath._

"_Wha –"_

"_Orion I-I have to get going –"_

"_Don't you run off!" he growled, grabbing her hand as she stood up. _

"_B-but Orion –"_

"_No, you won't get away –"_

"_Oh gods!" Zahra cried out, stumbling to her knees and grabbing at her back. "Oh no… Orion please –"_

"_Fine," he sighed, "but I'm not leaving you. Where are you going –"_

_Zahra only took off, causing Orion to run after her as she ran across the fields and into the nearby woods. She tried to mumble her cries, but the pain in her back became so unbearable that she let out a cry. "C-come on," she gasped between pants, "You're almost there – CRAP!"_

"_Zahra!" Orion cried out, trying to chase her down, but before he could stumble upon her she took off again. Zahra ran and ran, trying to find a place where she could be safe and away from prying eyes. _

_She didn't care if Orion followed, she knew he couldn't help, and she only wanted to be alone. She only became a monster when she was like this, or that's what her brother says she is. Zahra kicked her shoes off and threw her clothes off before she came into a clearing, finding a waterfall and a lake in the middle of nowhere. She jumped into the water before Orion could call out her name, swimming as far as she could before the pain in her back became unbearable. She let out a cry as she surfaced, grabbing hold of a rock on the other side of the lake as she clutched to it for support. "Don't look! Please don't look – aaAAAAHHH!" Zahra cried, gripping the rock tightly till it crumbled under her grasp and she tumbled back into the water. _

_Orion watched as Zahra slipped back into the water, seeing blood form from where she was. "Oh gods, help me please!" he prayed and threw off his clothes, jumping into the water and trying to swim across the lake to where he saw Zahra vanish. "Zahra?" he gulped and saw the blood growing on the surface of the water, letting in a deep breath and diving as far as he could in the lake. His eyes widened at what he saw, the child on the bottom of the lake with blood seeping from her back. He was captivated as he saw feathers fanning out of her back, the blood mixing into the water as it stuck itself to the feathers. Orion shook his head and swam back up for air, letting in one large breath before swimming as far as he could to the bottom of the lake. He grabbed hold of her waist and pulled her to the surface, Zahra letting out a cough as they reached the top. "My gods Zahra, what are you?" She only looked at him and groaned; the pain in her back too great for her to bear when she moved. Orion frowned and swam to the closest bank he could find, right next to the rocks of the waterfall and laid her down on the ground. "Zahra, tell me what's going on –"_

"_I-I can barely stay awake," she groaned and closed her eyes before looking over at him with a groggy look in her bright eyes. He gasped. The light radiating from her eyes seemed to be burying into his soul and reading his mind. "O-orion…" she gasped and gripped his clothes tight, holding onto him for support, "I-I'm curs-ed… I-I am," she began to cry, "a-and I think its be-st if I l-leav –"_

"_No," he growled. "No you're not! Now how about you fall asleep and I'll bring you back –"_

"_Don't bring me back!" she cried out. "I'll get killed! –"_

"_Don't worry and fall asleep," Orion sighed, Zahra gripping his clothes tightly till she fell unconscious. "Damn," he sighed and shook his head, "what can I do now –" _

"_My what is this?" a womanly voice came from above the waterfall, Orion looking up to see a woman dressed in simple hunting clothing, but was a bright as the moonlight. Then he heard dogs snarling, Orion taking out his knife and cradling his body over the unconscious girl. _

"_Get back!" he snarled at the dogs, "I'm warning you! –"_

"_They only listen to me," the woman huffed and climbed down, about to walk over to them till Orion aimed his knife at her. "… Who is this? A nymph?"_

"_How about you tell me your name first?" Orion growled. _

_The woman smirked. "The name is Artemis," she grinned, "and my father is Zeus, my mother Leto, and my brother is Apollo."_

"_A-a goddess," Orion's mouth dropped, but then he cleared his throat and continued to keep the girl hidden under him. "Stand back. She's not for you to have –"_

"_I don't like men trying to take advantage of young maidens –"_

"_I'm trying to help her, alright!" he growled. "Now leave or so help me I'll kill you! –"_

"_Silence," Artemis growled and threw him aside, raising an eyebrow at the woman she had uncovered. "… What is this –"_

"_Her name is Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu –"_

"_Egyptian?" she huffed. "No wonder I've never seen this girl. Do tell me, what's with the wings?"_

"_That's something I have yet to learn about," Orion sighed, "but she ran off and jumped into the lake and now she has wings –"_

"_Then we should clean that blood off!" Artemis thought, "Before she gets a chill… Naida, Muriel, go get some cloth, clothes, and a brush for her wings."_

"_Yes mistress," the nymphs above responded, running off as the others looked over the waterfall and giggled at the naked man below. _

"… _Put some clothes on," Artemis huffed and threw a random sheet of cloth at him, the dogs quieting down and sitting on the rocks keeping their eye on the man. _

_Orion sighed and wrapped the cloth around his lower half, glaring at the woman as she shifted the girl and Zahra groaned. "Be careful," he growled, getting a glare from Artemis, "just… don't hurt her –"_

"_I won't," she huffed. Once the nymphs came back Artemis herself tended to the girl's wounds, wondering what sort of creature she is. "Hmmm… Egypt huh? Could be born as half of an animal or something. Those gods over there are strange."_

"_You're telling me," Orion sighed, "and I have to take care of this girl –"_

"_Well at least it's you and not a pervert," Artemis snorted, "or else I'd just bring this girl along with me and she could join my choir."_

_He growled, "You better not –"_

"_Did you know?" the goddess asked._

_He simply sighed, "Zahra told me, but we didn't know when it would happen… and I was hoping for later, honestly. Now my master will wonder where she is –"_

"_She's a slave then?" Artemis thought. "He won't take advantage of her, will he –"_

"_He's not the sort of man to do such things," Orion huffed. "Now I wish to bring her back –"_

"_I heard her," Artemis said in a rough tone. "I heard her screaming. She doesn't want to go back with you –"_

"_She thinks we won't understand. Well many of us do. We have our pasts and left for one reason or another. There are many people I know with powers similar to this girl's and they'll help us figure out how to help her –"_

"_Then I'll be watching you," Artemis huffed. "I don't know your intentions, but by how this girl is whimpering in her mind for your help, I guess there's nothing I can do but give her back."_

"_Thank you," Orion nodded to the goddess._

_Artemis smirked. "Don't have me regret my decision. Now get back to that master of yours. He's probably waiting for you." Orion watched as the goddess left them, sighing as he looked back at the unconscious girl left in the grass. _

_The attendants of Artemis had given the child clothes fit for a Greek goddess, her wings now brightly white as it shined in the darkness. Orion sighed as he lifted the girl into his arms, careful to not let the cloth around his waist to slip. "Just what am I doing to do with you?" he sighed, taking everything one step at a time as he tried to find his way back to the town. _

_Artemis watched from afar, unsure of this man and this child of Egypt. "I need one of you to keep a constant eye on the child," she explained. "She must be of value to these mortals for the man to be protective of her. If you see any foul play alert me right away." The nymphs bowed as Artemis left with her bow and arrows in hand, a few turning their heads to the nearby town and making their way towards the building where the child slept. _

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra groaned, slowly opening her eyes to find Jalila looking upon her as she slept. "Hey she's awake –"

"Great!" Daleel laughed as he pushed the woman away. "How are you feeling kid?"

"S-swell," Zahra sighed and closed her eyes again. "Ugh, my head –"

"Go ahead, rest, and we can talk when you wake up," Daleel smiled, running a gentle hand through the woman's long black hair.

"… Daleel –"

"Hmm?" he asked.

"… Why do you keep me around?" she sighed. "I'm nothing but a curse and a nuisance to you –"

"You help more then you know Ranpu," he smirked. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Now calm down. Everyone is safe and no one died –"

"I-is Amasa here –" They heard a bark by her side, Zahra groaning as she looked over to find the black dog whimpering by her bed side. She smiled as she ran a hand through his fur, Daleel smirking as he looked over to the women and they left. "Hey buddy," she chuckled, kissing his nose.

Daleel grabbed a glass of water and had her drink it, Zahra coughing as he set her head down on the bed and he stood up. "Did you find what you were looking for here?" he decided to ask.

Zahra sighed. "I-I guess… I found **something**… though not everything… not yet."

Daleel nodded. "I understand. If you wish to stay or leave that's your choice –"

"I still need to help you," Zahra snorted. "After that I'll decide to stay in E-gypt or not. N-now if we're done –"

"Yes we are," Daleel chuckled. "This village is joyous thanks to you. They have been waiting to see if you were okay before celebrating their victory –"

"They can rejoice," Zahra smiled and closed her eyes, getting comfortable in the bed. "We can leave when I'm well. There's nothing left for me here." Daleel nodded and left the tent, Jalila walking back into the tent to tend to Zahra while she quickly went back to sleep.

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: Oh wow! So there are more than a simple couple of kids that know of her wings? Well let's just hope Zahra is able to find out more about her memories ^^ I hope you guys enjoyed this, because I enjoyed writing this. SEE YOU LATER!**


	23. The OC REVIEW I

**A/N: So we've come to a point in the story where we need a break. Like an arc or something in a story I suppose ^^ I'd like to incorporate Bakura more into the story, but it's not yet time for that. Maybe later, but he'll come in and out of the story, that's for sure. Anyways after every break I like to post all the OCs and other characters that may have shown up in the story. So here we go! And I hope to hear from you guys soon! ^^**

Zahra-Sutekh "Zah" "Npu" Ranpu "Skia Diana" "Shadow Huntress" "Cursed One" "Queen of Thieves" – "head merchant"/a merchant, murderer, assassin, thief, outsider, adventurer, and loner – long black hair, jade green eyes – ties up a ponytail when she's doing something important (mainly priestess business)

Bakura "Kura" "King of Thieves" – survivor of Kul Elna – messy white hair, purple eyes

Daleel – merchant/head of the largest merchant enterprise in the Mediterranean Sea (main location is in Greece) – Zahra's former master – raven hair, brown eyes

Cyanae "Cy" – Daleel's wife – from Athens, Greece – light brown hair, cerulean eyes

Orion Abraxas – one of Daleel's head merchants – from Sparta, Greece – teaches Zahra how to fight/tutor – messy dark brunette hair, brown eyes, large, broad shoulders

Lyra Abraxas – Orion's sister

Pelagius – one of Daleel's slaves

Seker Ranpu – (_deceased_) Zahra's father – short indigo hair with a long braid on the left side of his face and chocolate eyes

Ak – from Zahra's dreams – white hair, amethyst eyes

Mosi –from Zahra's dreams – bright blonde hair and brown eyes

Dima – from Zahra's dreams – shaggy long light brunette hair and violet eyes

Nee – from Zahra's dreams – brunette hair and crystal blue eyes

Boma – from Zahra's dreams – dark brown hair and brown eyes

Priestess Alexis – Seto's sister – next in line for the Millennium necklace – bright sea green eyes and silver hair with purple bangs on the right side of her face

High Priest Seto – Alexis' brother – wields Millennium rod – bright blue eyes and short, sharp cut brown hair

Sheba – Alexis' servant at the palace

High Priestess Isis – Alexis' mistress – wields Millennium necklace

High Priest Mahado – wields Millennium ring – light blue eyes and brunette hair – has a mare horse: Izza

Sorceress-in-training Mana – dark forest green eyes and dark brunette hair – master/tutor: Mahado

Young/Crown Prince Atem

Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen – wields Millennium puzzle

High Priest Akhenaden – wields Millennium eye

Vizier Siamun – Akhenamkhanen's old sacred guardian

High Priest Shada – wields Millennium key

Chigaru – one of Bakura's men/works as undercover guard at pharaoh's palace – shaggy black hair and light blue eyes

Fazi – one of Bakura's men/thief/messenger – wears a large burly brown cloak – horse mare: Gamila, given to by Zahra

Baruti– one of Bakura's men – had been captured and questioned for the raid at the pyramid/escapes (claims to have seen Zahra before in Greece)

Maskini – one of Bakura's men/young thief – captured and questioned for the raid at the pyramid/escapes

Sebek – (_deceased_) one of Bakura'as men – captured and questioned for the raid at the pyramid/gave information and was killed

Naeem – one of Bakura's men

Rashidi – one of Bakura's men/captain

Yafeu – one of Bakura's men

AmAuNet – Hidden Cursed Villages – close to Latopolis, between Hermonthis and Latopolis along the Nile river: Amenhotep – laborer village, Aut – warrior village, Netem-Mennefer – two villages (east and west), leader village

Five leaders during palace raid (AmAuNet villagers): Zahra/Gyasi, Khalifa, Lateef, Azibo, Nkuku/Cyanae, Amasa: Kalil, Fellah :: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta (over lookers), Zeta (distraction), Omega (dog units): Phi, Chi

Karbukef – (_deceased_) ancient Egyptian king that created the Millennium Tome – in AmAuNet

Jalila – female dancer – lives in Amenhotep; AmAuNet – long brunette hair

Basir– Jalila's 'friend' – lives in Aut; AmAuNet – black hair and golden eyes

Khalifa – leader – lives in Netem-Mennefer; AmAuNet

Gyasi – training to be a thief – from AmAuNet – one of the leaders for the raid – got captured/escaped – creature: Crawling Dragon

Jai – little boy from AmAuNet

Argyris – from AmAuNet – comes from Greece and favors the god, Apollo – has children – light blonde hair and silver eyes

Edjo – training to be a thief – from AmAuNet

Nkuku – training to be a thief – from AmAuNet – one of the leaders of the raid

Azibo – training to be a thief – from AmAuNet – one of the leaders of the raid

Lateef – training to be a thief – from AmAuNet – one of the leaders of the raid

Amasa – male alpha wild dog – Zahra's old companion/childhood dog – leader of wild dog pack from around AmAuNet/in the desert – bright olive eyes and shaggy black fur

Lilith – female alpha wild dog – Amasa's wife – black and brown fur

Kalil – Amasa's son – told to follow Zahra – sepia eyes and black fur with a diamond brown crest on top of head

Fellah – Kalil's friend – doesn't want to go with Kalil and wants to stay in AmAuNet – black fur and hazel eyes

Horus – Egyptian god – large blue bird eyes and hawk head

Anubis – Egyptian god

Hathor – Egyptian god

Artemis – Greek god

Zorc Necrophades – evil lord


	24. The Passed Information

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! Yeah, believe it or not it's another chapter XD I'll be honest. There are about eight chapters I've typed up including this one. I just haven't had time to review all of them before posting them up. Plus I got a major case of writer's block at some point so I had my mind on other stories. So here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy! Thank you for continuing to read this story and I was wondering, for my readers, what your personal opinion of this story is. I don't know if I asked or not, but I'm just wondering what caught your eye when you started reading this story. So… yeah that's it! I hope your enjoy!**

! #$%^&*()

"Mahado, are you sure you sense the spirit here at this dump –"

"Have you ever had a time to doubt my abilities Shada?" Mahado smirked, rubbing Izza's nose before _**'clicking'**_ his teeth to usher the mare along.

"Well," Shada sighed, "what do you think this all means?"

"You mean the god or the cloaked figure?" Mahado asked.

"Both," Shada huffed. "The fate of the kingdom. Do you think this is a sign from the gods –"

"I was thinking the same thing," he sighed, "but we cannot jump to conclusions. Whoever that figure was… they possess great powers. To come across a dark creature and come out alive is incredible. We should keep an eye on Egypt. With the King of Thieves still on the loose and this new development I'm unsure if even the Millennium items will save us." Shada nodded and looked back at their target, a village along the Nile River that everyone had assumed to be uninhabitable.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"Oh gods, is that the pharaoh's guards?!" a woman yelped, Jai's eyes widening as he spun around and ran towards Jalila's tent.

"Miss!" Jai yelled into the tent, everyone turning their gaze to the boy, "The pharaoh's guards were spotted outside of the villages!"

"What?!" Jalila gasped.

"Wow. I guess they're pretty smart," Daleel chuckled. "Come on. Let's stash this girl somewhere or else they'll all have our heads."

"Right," Cyanae nodded, Basir and Daleel grabbing hold of the sleeping woman as they hastily carried her out of the tent and followed Jalila through the village. Before the guards could make it to the villages the men dashed into the temple, Jalila opening up a secret passage way and stood right outside keeping watch of the door.

Cyanae stood outside the temple as Basir led Daleel to the end of the tunnel, finding a bunch of old, worn out beds with dirt lining everything. "Here put her down," Basir told him, the men setting Zahra on a bed at the far end as Basir dashed up to head down the tunnel. Then the lights went out, Jalila closing the door as he let out a growl.

"Looks like they're here," Daleel smirked in the dark, Basir turning around and sighing.

"I figured Jalila would give us some time to leave – What's going on with her?" Basir asked, pointing to Zahra's body.

Daleel shrugged, sitting down beside Zahra and running a hand through her hair. Basir watched as her body glowed intensely in the darkness, Daleel chuckling lightly as he placed a hand on her stomach. "I believe this happens sometimes," he smirked, "but we can talk about this later. Right now you should keep quiet," he huffed, Basir nodding as he sat down on another bed and stared at Zahra's body.

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra groaned, opening her eyes to find Daleel smirking down at her. "Damn you," she growled, but was quickly silenced by a hand over her mouth. "UMPH –"

"Hush!" he told her in a whisper. "The pharaoh's guards are here." She nodded knowingly, looking around to see an old bedroom quarters where the priests must have slept in. Her eyes began to wander, slowly sitting up with a groan, and pushing Daleel aside as she sat up on the bed. Basir was about to say something when Daleel stopped him, watching Zahra carefully as she got out of the bed and began to look around the room.

Her joints were stiff from being asleep for so long, but Zahra couldn't lie around. She had more work to do and the sooner she finished getting Daleel and Cyanae out of the country the better she'll be able to sleep at night. She ran a hand over an encryption on the wall, mumbling under her breath as she read the incantation. It was a lot of history about the temple, of the land around them, and what had happened there. According to the wall, there was unrest in the country. War was all around them for generations. That wasn't until a king rose up above the rest and became the ruler of the surrounding lands, Zahra deciding to be Karbukef's father or Karbukef himself. Either way the land was saved thus the bounty of the gods was restored, but the gods seemed to have different plans. With this peace they wanted to establish to the mortals a temptation, so they had the king create a tome for the world. Zahra narrowed her eyes. Only temptations… but now the gods are angry that the mortals even used the book and want her to be their messenger. Bull! That didn't sit well with her! She wouldn't stand for this! If she could only figure out how she could come across the gods and talk to them one on one, get their sides of the story, then only then would she consider helping them. Zahra won't give her services for free. She needed something in return and a reason to help.

As if on cue Jalila came into the room with a smile on her face. "They finally left –"

"Then we should be leaving too," Zahra thought aloud, looking over at Daleel before walking through the corridor.

Basir and Jalila's eyes widened, chasing after her as Daleel sighed and followed behind them. "Leave?!" Basir yelped. "But why!?"

"We like you –"

"It doesn't matter," Zahra sighed and stepped into the main temple room. "I shouldn't stay. I never do. It's about time I get going and help Daleel and Cyanae. I owe them a favor after all… and to be honest, if I stay then your lives will be in danger. I can't do that to your village after everything you have been through… so no. I must leave."

"But Ranpu –"

"You heard the woman," Daleel responded in a strong voice. "She wishes to leave. Though, she has a reason to," he chuckled, "I can expect payment later –"

"No I'm going," Zahra huffed and walked out of the temple, greeting Cyanae with a smile.

"But you're not well –"

"If I can stand on my own two feet then I will get by," Zahra snorted.

Cyanae rolled her eyes, "She wants to leave before she recovers again, huh Daleel?"

"Yep," Daleel chuckled, "but it's true. It's about time we get back on our route. I've been in this country for too long and my servants are probably getting worried about me. So Ranpu, when will we go?"

"We will leave when the sun goes down," Zahra instructed pointing to the sun high up in the sky, "and use the darkness to our advantage. I don't know what's following you, but I don't like this already."

)(*&^%$# !

After many tears and goodbyes Zahra, Daleel, and Cyanae were on their way back to the nearest town. From there they will hopefully come across more merchants or gypsies so they can get a ride up north into Lower Egypt. It was planned that the trip will take them at least a month, though if they rush they will get to the ports sooner. Either way this was a chance for Zahra to recover from any injuries, staring out of a wagon and looking out at the sands. She sighed. She still didn't know if she wanted to stay or not. Egypt was a great place to her. It was warm all year around and you could dress lightly for the weather. The days were hot, but the nights were cool and the desert would come alive late at night when everyone was asleep. She remembered late nights when she was out with Amasa running with the gazelles or chasing after hares. Yes, that was life, but now she had other matters to worry about –

Oh yes. She almost forgot about her new companion. Kalil… from the little stunt he pulled the other day she was feeling discouraged about him. If he was like his father then he'll rush into fights like Amasa does… like she does… but Zahra needs to protect him. She promised Amasa she will, but hopefully she can drop him off somewhere when the fighting gets to be too much for the pup. He isn't Amasa… he's just not her dog. Zahra sighed again and looked over at Cyanae with a weak smile, who happily grinned back at her. Cyanae could tell she was deep in thought, but she couldn't help and interrupt her. "I'm guessing you're trying to figure out why those creatures attacked us the other day."

"I guess," Zahra shrugged, glancing out of the caravan.

Cyanae shook her head and sighed, knowing the events the other day took a toll on her mind. "There are several collectors that are on our tails. Daleel came to Egypt to investigate the situation, but what he found out felt grim. Many main merchants have been killed, captured and imprisoned, or possessed by a group of tax collectors sent by the pharaoh to relieve him of those neglecting their taxes. There are many civilians who have been caught by this group, but the collectors mainly target merchants, gypsies, and foreigners. The pharaoh is starting to catch on to our organization and wish to crush us, but Daleel won't stand for this. He took up arms against one of the men, but was forced to travel south until we met with you." She smiled weakly, hoping Zahra was listening to her, "I do not know how many have fallen. Daleel won't say –"

"About a hundred and counting," Daleel said from the front of the wagon.

"Hundred?" Zahra frowned, still staring out of the back of the wagon. "That's horrible."

"Tell me about it," he sighed. "Production is slow and anyone who I've sent to infiltrate their lair has been captured. You want to know what they do? I believe they experiment on them, my own men! –"

"Now you send a woman into battle for you?" Zahra snorted. "Well that's a new low Daleel –"

"No," Daleel huffed and mumbled under his breath, "It's because you're the only one I've found around here who can do the job **well**. This isn't just for us, but for any foreigner who travels to Egypt. What about yourself? Do you think you'll last very long here with that group running around?"

Zahra sighed, "Do you have names?"

"… The head leader is Ihab Tariq," Daleel explained. "He's in charge of the collectors and lives up in the Lower Egypt. I don't know where he lives exactly. He moves from town to town and doesn't stay in one place. There are five other leaders, but he's the main one."

"What do you expect me to do?" she sighed. "Kill them? Obliterate their souls or something like that –"

"Do what you like," he snorted. "They already took Phalanthus, Gallus, and Frya. Not to mention Vitus and Aurelia disappeared months ago. We don't even know if Caleas is alive anymore… and don't get me started on the Rubis family."

Zahra snarled. "Not Vitus and Aurelia. I trained those two myself!"

Daleel sighed. "Well if you expect to ever find out what happened to them… I don't even know. Those two have been missing for almost a year and it was Pelagius who informed me earlier this year that they went missing. It was on someone's annual report. They were last seen in Leontopolis and were heading to Memphis for a delivery… but their caravan never made it into the city." He heard Zahra growl and he looked into the back, his eyes coming into contact with hers. "There were more that were taken Zahra. Who knows whom else has gone missing? All we can do now is wait for a miracle… and here you are, making it here just in the nick of time."

"But what do you expect me to do?" Zahra frowned at him and turned to look away, looking over at Kalil with a pout on her face. "Just how far will I have to go? If everything you say is true then it's best to avoid Egypt at all costs or –"

"Kill the men responsible?" Daleel raised his eyebrow, knowing exactly what she'd say.

Zahra looked over to him and gave him a slight nod. "If that's what it takes, yes. If Vitus and Aurelia died already… then that's my fault. I recommended that they go to Egypt and talked about this place being mysterious and a wondrous place to go, but if they came here because of me and died…"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I doubt that's the reason they went missing," Daleel tried to reassure her, but the frown on Zahra's face only continued to grow. "Besides, there are many more of us, but if this keeps up there won't be a group of Greek merchants to run anymore. I'll go out of business! Not only that, but the money I invested in all of you… come on. Give me a break!"

"There's more to this than just money," she sneered. "There are human lives at stake. You're right. This is probably the work of magic and sorcery, and I won't expect anything less from the pharaoh… I just don't know where to start and if I should start killing them or not."

"Well why not scout?" Daleel suggested. "Cyanae and I have time to waste. I need to get to the bottom of this problem as soon as possible. Who knows when an opportunity like this will come up again? I already have a few men on board plus another few coming by boat. We just have to get to Lower Egypt before the next new moon."

"… Which port?" Zahra asked.

"Rosetta," Daleel explained. "It's a somewhat large port, but hopefully the pharaoh hasn't suspected our movements yet. All we need is time. You have about another week to find out the problem till more arrive. I hope by then you've taken care of the problem, but I can't guarantee this. This is serious Zahra. You can't take this mission lightly."

"Will I get paid more for this?" she smirked.

Daleel chuckled as Cyanae sighed and rolled her eyes. "If we get out of this in one piece! Just do me a favor and don't die… yet. I'm starting to run low on head merchants, if you haven't noticed."

"Yeah I understand that Daleel," Zahra snorted. "Now how about we head towards a town around Heliopolis? Perhaps the people there know what's going on."

"Eye eye, captain!" Daleel stood up and mocked saluted her, laughing as Zahra rolled her eyes and noticed that Cyanae and Kalil were almost asleep. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, getting comfortable in the wagon. It was going to be a long ride.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

"This place is strange," Zahra huffed as she walked through the city with her arms crossed over her body, glaring down the street as her black cloak fanned behind her only revealing her eyes, "or should I say, stranger then I remember."

"No kidding," Daleel nodded and looked around, having parked the wagon several blocks away.

Cyanae shuddered. "I-I don't like this place. Do you know what you're doing Zahra?"

"Well this is a place between the disappearances," Zahra shrugged, "and if we're going to find out what happened we should start here. Perhaps a few of the people who disappeared is logged around here… we just have to look."

"First I'm getting a drink," Daleel laughed and tried to cheer the women up. "Come on woman. We've been on the road for days! –"

"Do you think the guards have stopped looking for me yet?" Zahra sighed.

"Probably not," Cyanae snorted. "We saw a few of them looking for you the other day. I doubt they haven't stopped… you caused quite a lot of confusion Zahra."

"Well _thank you~_" she smirked and gave him a slight curtsy. "It was one of my best works after all. Now about that drink –"

"OH No. You're paying for your own –"

"Oh come on!" Zahra snarled and walked into the tavern, walking backwards so she could face him. "I'm helping you here –"

"And you already got my help so what's the problem –"

"Then I want a smoke," she huffed. "_Come on Daleel~_. I know you have _some~~_. Now hand it over."

He snarled. "I ran out of them a few weeks ago, **actually** –"

"Then the first caravan I see I'm taking some for myself," Zahra snorted and slumped over the counter, facing the bartender. "What sort of beer are you selling?"

"Same old stuff – Oh Daleel! I-I didn't notice you," he gulped, quickly producing three wooden cups. "I didn't know you would be in town –"

"We've come across a situation Jarl," Daleel began to explain. "… Have you heard of disappearances recently? Preferably by a group called the Tariqis."

"Yes actually," the bartender nodded and ushered Daleel and Zahra to sit down, Cyanae rolling her eyes at the man and sitting beside Daleel. "We don't talk about it here, but I've heard a few drunks spat off about the organization. Why? What's happened –"

"They're taking people and torturing them," Zahra snorted, "and if this is some display of authority I don't like it one bit. Look Jarl, our own kind is dying here. I need a list of those you have on record and tell me who you think have died. I need to get to the bottom of this –"

"Oh so you're in charge?" Jarl asked with a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes. "Yes… is that a problem –"

"The only problem is that those drunks over there won't stop staring at you," he pointed with a snort, Zahra glancing over before rolling her eyes. "Anyways I'll need your identification –"

"If we're going to talk let's do it somewhere else," Daleel snorted. "There are too many ears here."

Jarl nodded and grabbed a jug full of beer, ushering the three to follow him as they grabbed their cups and moved into the back of the tavern. Zahra watched as a small boy was told to watch the bar, the boy looking over at them hesitantly before obeying the man and rushing into the bar. "Excuse my son, but he's our oldest and still doesn't know who you are," Jarl explained.

Daleel smirked. "That's alright Jarl. You can explain if you wish for him to join us. Now the room?"

"Go to room ten in the back. My wife will show you." Handing the container to the woman behind him Jarl rushed back into the bar, Zahra peeping into the room to notice two men starting to brawl at each other. She rolled her eyes and looked back down the hallway, noticing that Cyanae had almost disappeared into a room. Rushing she walked into the room marked ten, sitting down in than empty chair across from Daleel and next to Cyanae.

Given the list of names Zahra's eyes narrowed, spotting the people she was looking for. "My suspicions were correct," she snarled, "I see Vitus and Aurelia's names and signatures, but also Caleas, Gallus, Phalanthus, and Frya. Many others too… as you said Daleel."

"Well what now?" he huffed.

"What do you expect me to do?" she snorted back, crossing her hands over her chest as she sipped her beer and tilted her chair back. "What was your plan in the beginning?"

"I thought this would be an easy trip months ago," he sighed, "but it's proving difficult. You're the expert in magic Zahra. You know how these things work. I don't. So use your best judgment on this case –"

"I will do what I can," she told him, "and I will try to find all of those who've went missing… if they're still alive. I suggest you go to the ports –"

"I'll have Cyanae go," he snorted, looking at her with a serious face. "You shouldn't be here Cyanae. You could end up like everyone else who've died and I don't want that on my guilty conscience –"

"Don't concern yourself with me and look after your own men," she snorted.

"How about this, we meet in one of the ports in two weeks," Zahra explained. "Cyanae can go off on her own. You're a big girl, aren't you?" she chuckled with a wink.

"That's right," Cyanae huffed. "You know a lot from me Zahra."

"Yep," Daleel laughed, "so it's settled! Cyanae will find a caravan and head to the port towns. Zahra and I will investigate the situation. I leave everything to you."

"Good," Zahra answered. "So there's no argument with my power from your other men I expect this in writing. Secondly you'll have to show me what's going on –"

"There are others coming soon," Daleel smirked. "Just… only a few should truly investigate. I've had too many men disappear never to return again."

"Understood," Zahra nodded. "Now if that's it…"

"That's all I have to say," he smirked. "I suggest finding the place called House of Tears. It's a gift shop, I believe. Talk to the clerk and tell him you're sent by Daleel to investigate a problem. You will be given all the information you need from him." Then Daleel took out a scroll from his pack, handing it to Zahra to read. "This is the writing you'll need to pass by. This is a class Alpha mission, so don't take this lightly. As always, sign your name on the dotted line and you'll be free to go."

Zahra chuckled lightly. "That's it? Just some paper and I seal my fate? Great Daleel, this is what I signed up for."

He smirked. "These things happen. If you don't do this then it'd be someone else, but if this was going to continue to be a problem I'd send for you myself," he snorted, "even though I know you wish to never return here… I'll confess. From your records over the past eight years are remarkable. You're one of the best head merchants I have around. That's why I would have sent for you… or someone else with equal abilities, which I barely come across it seems. I've sent most that are in the area, but haven't come back yet. So if you run into them make sure they know who you are."

"Why," Zahra smirked, "is my name known far and wide?"

"Actually yes," Daleel laughed heartedly. "Everywhere! If you part of the organization they've heard of Skia Diana, and if not the locals will know who you are for the first time. I don't think I'll need to help you there… will I?"

"Nope," Zahra shook her head. "Thanks though."

"No problem kid," he smirked, "happy to help –"

"If you two are done speaking can we get your forms signed?" Jarl asked, Zahra nodding as the papers were handed to her and she read them over.

Grabbing for the nearest candle she took out her knife, melting the wax onto the top of her knife before pressing it into the paper. "There, done," she huffed and gave him the papers back. "Anything else?"

"Only that you tell me your name –"

"Skia Diana," she sighed and stood up, "or you can call me Ranpu if you wish."

"Skia… I've heard of you –"

"Figured you would," Daleel chuckled lightly. "So we'll meet in Quantir in four days. Tell me everything that happens and if you know what's going on. By then we should have some men gathered who can accompany you."

"Slaves or –"

"Everything in between," he huffed, "but they all know their way around a sword. Maybe a head merchant or two, but this mission is mainly yours Zahra, so be prepared."

"Fine," she sighed and gulped down the rest of her beer before securing her cloak tightly around her body and covering her mouth with the end of her black cloak. The only thing that was visible was her eyes and the exposed white dress that could mistake her for a common woman or even a young man. "I will see you in four days with a detailed report… Goodbye Cyanae. I wish I could hang out with you some more."

"It's alright," she chuckled. "You go have fun." Zahra nodded and opened the door, leaving the room and sneaking out the back door. "… Do you think she'll be okay?" Cyanae asked.

"I hope so," Daleel sighed, looking over at Jarl with a slight smirk. "I trust her after all. She'll do a good job like she always does, but I pray to the gods that she won't get herself brutally killed again."

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra sighed, lifting her head up to look around at the land around her. Dry and arid, like it's always been. She was starting to see rainclouds in the sky, so perhaps it's close to the rainy season. Clicking her teeth she lead the horse into the town, not caring if it'd get stolen or not as she tied the horse to a pillar and with a wave of her hand ushered Kalil to follow her into a shop. "What will you like –"

"I'm looking for the House of Tears," Zahra quickly interrupted the man, looking around at the small shop. It seems like there are many shops around here, which meant this is a main merchant town.

"That place closed down years ago," the man frowned at the woman.

"Well do you know where the owner is –"

"I actually don't," he sighed. "A lot of us have gone missing. I don't even know where my son is."

"… Does he have family?" she asked; sternness in her voice as she hoped the man would tell her what she needed to know.

"Yes," he nodded and opened the door, pointing down the street. "Go down this block till you reach the end. They're at the house at the end."

"Thank you," she mumbled quickly, walking out of the shop and untying the horse as she led the horse down the street and through the wind. No one braved to go out before a sandstorm, but Zahra had to meet with the man as soon as possible. Perhaps he was hiding or on the run, but if he was captured her problems will only increase. Coming to the house the man described she knocked on the door, a tall boy of only eighteen opening the door to greet her. "I am looking for the man who ran the House of Tears," Zahra asked. "Do you know where he is?"

"He's dead," the boy sneered and began to close the door, "now please leave –"

"I was told by a man named Daleel to come and find him," Zahra insisted, holding the door open with her hand and began to snarl, "and I won't leave till you tell me where you're keeping him."

"Woman leave –"

"Leave the child alone," another womanly voice came from the door, letting the woman come inside and ordered the boy to lead the horse to the stables. "I'm sorry miss. I see you came a far way –"

"No kidding," Zahra snorted, looking around the room as Kalil followed behind her and sat obediently in the corner of the room. It was certainly a typical house for an Egyptian family, but the place looked old and ransacked. Pots and pans were missing and pottery smashed. She wondered what was happening in this town. She let out a sigh, letting the woman lead her towards a chair where wanted the woman to sit. Instead Zahra stood and let the woman sit down, hanging her cloak on a nearby rack of clothes and noticing a red puss on the woman's left foot. "Now," she sighed, "can you tell me what's going on here? I was told by my… well the man who is paying me for this job that there was a man here who could help me. He was only here a few months ago and I don't see why he could be gone."

The woman was sad by her words, shaking her head and looking away towards the dust on the floor. "I can't help you," she mumbled under her breath. "He was taken away from us several nights ago."

"Several?" Zahra raised an eyebrow. "So soon? Not months?"

"Eight days to be precise," she explained, "but I don't know who took him –"

"Do they call themselves the Tariqis?" Zahra asked.

"I do not know **what** they call themselves," the woman sighed, "but all I know is a few names. I heard the names Ruia, Kekara, and Ihab –"

"That's the name I'm looking for," Zahra responded. "What were they saying about Ihab? Was he in the room when the men took your husband?"

"N-no I don't believe so," the woman gulped. "I-I don't really know –" Just then the door opened, the boy walking in wiping is brow of the sweat and grime. "Huya, do you know what the men were speaking about… a man named Ihab?"

"Something about bringing father directing to Ihab," Huya sneered, "but I don't understand why he was taken in the first place –"

"My guess is that he holds information about the organization I am looking for," Zahra interrupted him.

"You think?" the mother asked. Zahra noticed her eyes lit up as she began to talk, a look of hope in her eyes. "… Who are you exactly? Before the men came Khaba told me to wait for someone who will come from a man named Daleel. I wasn't expecting a woman though –"

"No one usually is," Zahra chuckled. "My name is Ranpu, but I'm known as the Skia Diana where I come from. I'm one of Daleel's head merchants, but I've been trained as a warrior and assassin and will use combat if necessary. Now can you tell me what's going on in this town? It seems that everyone is gloomy about something… are you all merchants of some sort?"

"Travelers into Egypt like to stop here for gifts for their loved ones," the woman smiled to her. "We're right outside a major city, you see. It's not hard to find us… I wish I could help you, but I don't know what Khaba could be keeping secret from the authorities. I'm just glad now that I know why he was taken. Many families here don't understand why loved ones were taken by the pharaoh's guards."

"… Do you pay your taxes?" Zahra asked.

Huya snorted. "Of course we do, on time too!"

"Yes," the mother held up her hand, "but a few families have been falling behind. Others have gone years without paying, but now I guess the government is cracking down on our town. I wonder if it's just us –"

"It's not," Zahra explained. "I think it's mainly in Lower Egypt. We merchants, gypsies, and foreigners have been paying a heavier tax to the pharaoh for some reason. Daleel came down here to observe what is going on and got himself involved into a large mess. Many of my comrades have fallen to these tax collectors… I need to find out what is going on here. If it's simply imprisonment or execution it would be public, but this is underground. Something is fishy about the whole situation and I plan to find everything out. Now if there's nothing else you can tell me –"

"Father talked about a group called the Tariqis," Huya nodded, starting to gain her trust. "He said that if anything happened to him that I tell you what he knows."

"What do you know?" Zahra asked.

"I know that there are several men in charge. I can give you the names and places they live in, but their leader is a different matter," the boy sighed and walked over to a trunk, opening a secret compartment and pulling out a piece of paper. "Father wrote this before he was taken."

"Thank you," Zahra nodded, taking the paper from him and reading its contents. "… Only six… so the leader must mean there's seven of them. Homes all over Lower Egypt I see… I don't know what I'll do about that. I'll have to send men out there I suppose…" she sighed, "this will take a while."

"I do hope you find the man and punish him," the woman smiled slightly.

Zahra chuckled, "Thanks, but I don't know about the situation yet. Either way I promise you I'll find your husband, dead or alive."

The words that her husband may be dead made her frown, but then she sighed and nodded her head. "Now how about you stay till the storm passes –"

"Actually I was thinking of tending to that foot of yours first," Zahra smirked and pointed to her ankle. "I'm a healer of sorts. I can fix that if you like."

"S-sure I guess," the woman stuttered, propping her foot up on a nearby table so Zahra can look at her injury better. Huya growled under his breath as Kalil stared back at him, the two of them in a deadlock gaze as Zahra tended to his mother's foot. Zahra smirked.

The cut wasn't life threatening and she won't even need to use powers to heal her. All she'll have to do is clean off the wounds and set the bruise against cold meat. By the time she's done the woman will be back on her own two feet again. "You'll be okay," Zahra chuckled. "I'll clean these wounds and remove the pottery shards from your cuts. Keep your foot iced for several days and don't walk. You'll be healed in a week or two."

"T-thank you for this," the woman sighed, letting Zahra tend to her wounds as she pulled out her equipment and began to clean the blood with a damp rag. "I haven't had time to clean it and I thought it wouldn't have helped anyways –"

"It's perfectly alright," Zahra smiled. "When someone gets a lot of blood they think their wounds are untreatable, but usually the invisible wounds kill the fastest. You're lucky. This could have been worse."

"I would go to a temple to get this treated, but they are too far away and we don't have the money –"

"Priests are like that. They like to jack up their prices," Zahra shrugged as she grabbed tweezers and began to pull out the shards. "I can buy the basics on the streets and make ointments myself from herbs I find in the wilderness. They simply want to make money off of the helpless, nothing new."

"How much should I pay you –"

"Nothing," Zahra explained, dabbing her wounds with the rag before wetting the rag down with water to clean the rest of the blood away.

"I have to do something! –"

"Your information was all I needed for payment," Zahra chuckled and kept her eyes on her work as she took out a container and dabbed cool ointment on her cuts. "Perhaps some water and food for myself and my horse will suffice, and then I'll be on my way." The woman nodded and watched as Zahra finished cleaning her foot, wrapping her foot in a bandage and wrapping a stick around her leg so she wouldn't be tempted to move her foot. Then she pulled out another bandage, throwing it to the boy. "I need you to clean your mother's wounds every day. Once the skin attaches, every other day would be best. Don't have her walk around till… about eight days from now to be safe. I wish you don't walk on your feet till your wounds are healed, to prevent your wounds from reopening." Then Zahra sighed. "I'll give you a small amount of ointment, but this is all I have left. I guess I'll have to make some when I have time."

"Just how can a woman know so much –"

"Because, kid, I spent time to learn everything I can about medical care," Zahra snorted. "Both living and deceased human care. I have seen and done many things on my journeys that you wouldn't even attempt to do, so don't even start saying that I'm simply a woman… I'm **more** than that." Once she was done glaring at the boy she stood up, putting her things away and helping the woman to her feet. "Now let's get you back into a bed so you can rest. I'll be gone once the storm has stopped blowing."

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: A start of a new adventure, right? XD Zahra never seems to have time to rest. Anyways, to save up on space and time, I'll be staying with Zahra's story more than anything else. Well… I think that's it… Oh! If you still would like to say an OC of yours I won't mind! Just remember what I had said before about OCs. Also they won't show up till the next arc, just because, in the matters of writing everything down, I'm almost done with this arc (even though it just started for you guys XD) But I'd love to have OCs! Especially thieves. So… yeah that's it! SEE YOU LATER!**

Ihab – Arabic – gift

Tariq – Arabic – he who knocks at the door

Jarl – Scandinavian – "chieftain, nobleman, earl"; Norse legend Jarl was the son of the god Ríg and the founder of the race of warriors

Khaba – Egyptian – "shade", component of the human body


	25. The Deadly Desecration

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! I figured it was about time I post a new chapter, plus I have a LOT of un-reviewed chapters that need to be reviewed and then posted. So here's the next one! And I hope you guys enjoy your Halloween, because I certainly hope I enjoy mine ^^ Apparently the forecast for the upcoming days will be cold, so if Halloween will be cold or not is still up in the air where I live ^^' Oh well. ENJOY!**

! #$%^&*()

Zahra sighed, looking over at Kalil as he casually walked across the sands. "I'm sorry that this isn't up to your expectations –"

"It is," he looked up with a grin. "No need to apologize. I'm just sick of being stuck in the pack for so long."

"… Why leave in a hurry?" she asked. "I wish I had a home and family to call my own –"

"I've always had this feeling that I need to be on my own. You know, like a lone wolf," he chuckled. "If I have to start my adventure with you then I shall, but this won't be the end for me."

"Understandable," she shrugged and nudged the horse along with the reins. "There are many things a young pup like yourself can do. I just hope you're making the right decision… I won't be able to help you once you leave on your own and to be honest I don't want you to get involved with my affairs –"

"My job is to protect you and that's what I'll do," Kalil huffed. "If you don't want my help then fine, but I'm going to take care of you whether you like it or not."

She smirked, "Good boy," she chuckled. "That's what Amasa told you, huh?"

"He told me many things," he admitted, "and I do wish, now that I know you and how kind you are, that you don't involve yourself in all these matters. You could get yourself killed Zahra."

"I know," she sighed and rolled her eyes, "but it's what I do. There's nothing else I can do actually… only do as I'm told. Yes, I'm sick of it. I want to settle down… but can I? I doubt it."

"Maybe one day," Kalil nodded.

Zahra simply sighed. "That **one day** is turning into years and years. I don't think it'll happen… not in this life, at least." He sighed and shook his head, looking up to notice a city appearing in the distance.

Forcing her horse to go faster she rode into town, Kalil running beside her till she jumped off of the horse and let him run free into the desert. "This is it," she spoke in plan Egyptian, the dog following obediently behind her as she strode into the city with her head held high.

Her eyes glanced around the town, trying to find any signs of Daleel. So far there were none, thus she had some time to spend before he arrived. Since she had nothing to do Zahra decided to pay a visit to the temple in the area; a temple dedicated to the god Seth with large black marble statues and jewelry galore. "S-sir," a voice came from behind her, "but you shouldn't be in here –"

"It's alright," Zahra said solemnly and with authority in her voice, "I'm here to pray. I won't be bothering you." The young boy looked at her unsure and quickly ran off, leaving the woman behind at the entrance to the main temple. "Stay here," she instructed the dog, Kalil nodding as he sat as motionless as a statue and watched as Zahra entered the compound. She sighed, her eyes gazing around the room as if a small spark from within her was illuminating her body. She missed going into the temples daily. It was one of the main activities her adopted mother had her do with Seto and Alexis. She wanted to show Zahra that there were other careers then a simple peasant, as servants to the gods perhaps. Though Zahra never truly followed her mother's wishes she would go into the temples of gods on a daily basis, if she had time to waste. She always felt comfortable in a temple, as if her heart was telling her that this was a true place of peace and rest. Doesn't mean she shouldn't be keeping an eye on the other people in the area, but she felt that her mind could flow easily in a temple. That's what she hoped for now. Maybe the events from AmAuNet are connected to other parts of her mind.

Noticing that no one seemed to be there she sat down on the steps of the temple, her back facing the altar as she looked at the area lazily. The temple wasn't the best in Egypt, but was kept clean and tidy by the priests and priestesses working there. She pulled out her dagger from under her dress and stared at the writing, sighing as she wished the symbols would jog a part of her memory. No matter how much she tried something was always keeping her back, as if an invisible force in her mind was forcing all of her thoughts associated with her past to reveal themselves to her. Now, as she stared at the dagger, a thought quickly came to her mind as she closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh smell of incense.

All she felt was movement around her and all she could see was darkness surrounding her. Zahra felt a hold around her body, pulling her deeper into the darkness as if her soul and body was meant to stay in the gloomy abyss. _Suddenly there was a light, and then a cry as her eyes burst open to come into contact with bright figures above her. "S-she's awake!" one of them gasped, a woman she assumed, as others surrounded them in haste._

"_Our child is awake –"_

"_Well what can this mean? Is this mean we're all dead?" a rough, manly voice growled. "How could the pharaoh do this –"_

"_If you jump to conclusions - you won't get a straight answer," another man huffed, running a light hand through her hair. Oddly enough Zahra felt safe and warm in those arms, subconsciously rubbing her head into his hand as he left his warmth on her cheek. "… How many –"_

"_That was the ninety ninth sacrificed soul," another voice spoke. "Which means…"_

"_So many have fallen," the rougher voice sighed. "Our home… our village… how can we rebuild everything now?"_

"_We're sort of dead -," the man snorted at him. "Besides not all hope is lost."_

"_What do you mean by that -?" he sighed._

"_What - means is that we can still get our vengeance," the womanly voice spoke, a hand, much softer then the man's, began to stroke through Zahra's hair. "Who do you think can do this –"_

"_The girl?" the man snorted._

"_Exactly," the other man chuckled. "Not only that, but there is **one** survivor. If we can revive her perhaps she can meet up with him and –"_

"_What? That everything will be alright in the world?" he snorted._

"_Our souls won't move on unless the items that were created from us do," the man huffed. "I know that just by reading the book it came from… or I had my daughter do that. Same difference."_

"_And how exactly can you revive a soul back to life –"_

"_You forget of her powers," the woman smirked. "She's not ordinary, after all. Think about it. Who's keeping us here, the gods? No. We should be eaten by creatures by now. It is the soul radiating from Zahra that is keeping our village alive right now, creating a realm where lost souls that cannot move onto the afterlife can stay and rest. Perhaps, in due time, we can figure out how to move onto the next life without her help. Either way we're stuck here… or a part of us is."_

"_I believe parts of our souls are trapped in those items," the other man growled, "and that's why we're bound to them. They're feeding off of our energy… but I don't see how we can stop them –"_

"_Well how about we get back to the real world?" the rougher man huffed. "If you plan is so simple –"_

"_It's not," the other man sighed. "There's spells and we'll have to fuel this resurrection with our own souls. My daughter is too weak to do this on her own. She was thrown right into the abyss of the shadows… it was only a miracle that we were able to save her before she was ripped apart by evil spirits and the god that resides here."_

"… _Fine," the man nodded, "I'll agree to help you -. Just promise me that this will work."_

"_Is this for vengeance against the pharaoh –"_

"_It's more than that," the man snorted. "Everything our village worked for was gone in a matter of seconds. This cannot go unpunished –"_

"_Well if your soul is filled with hate you cannot revive her," the other man huffed. "Her soul is fueled by light and is surrounded in darkness. If you have hatred residing in your soul and you revive her you'll taint her soul. Zahra won't be the same again… she'll end up destroying the world, not just the pharaoh, but everyone and everything in the world –"_

"_Fine," he sighed, "then give me a minute."_

"_Think of it this way," the other chuckled, "your son is out there. My daughter will be able to leave and be with him some day, if they ever meet. Either way this is the best for our children and they can help move us onto the afterlife. What do you say?"_

"_I say we revive her before more creatures come back," the man smirked, the others chuckling as Zahra was picked up and placed on a solid slab. As she heard and felt enchantments sweeping over her a part of her wondered what was going on, unable to clearly see any faces nor hear their names. Village? Hate? Is her family trapped in this other dimension that she barely remembers? Was she truly dead?... Will she ever found this boy they speak of? Her mind was spinning so fast that Zahra was getting a headache, letting out a groan and closing her eyes as she shook her head trying to get out of her trance._ Though as she did she felt she wasn't caught up in a trance anymore, but cracks opened in a wall within her mind where memories were beginning to flood in like water over a breaking dam.

! #$%^&*()

A boy gulped, watching as a woman was entranced in a vision from the gods. She was mumbled to herself, gripping a dagger in her hand tightly as blood began to spill from her palms and onto the floor. "M-miss… miss!?" he yelped, quickly running to her side as the woman groaned, flopped over the stairs, and dropped her knife as she fell asleep on the floor.

"Master Monthu what's going on –"

"Imamu, help me bring this woman to a bed!" the young boy yelped, the much older man doing as he was told and bring the woman without question into the bedchambers.

The boy watched as Imamu set the woman down on a bed, noticing the blood trickling down her hand. "Master Monthu, what is going on –"

"Could you go and get the knife she dropped?" Monthu asked, Imamu sighing as he left the room to follow his master's order. The boy shook his head, running a hand through the woman's long black hair and wondering what had happened to her. Then a smirk showed up on his face. This was great! He may know a new friend today! Usually he doesn't see anybody, his older sister won't let him, but now that he met this woman perhaps she will talk to him and stay… right? Noticing the woman stirring he rushed to the supply of water and grabbed a bowl and rag, attempting to wash the blood that tricked down her hands before she awakened.

Zahra groaned as she felt someone touching her hand, looking over to notice a young boy, about the age of only six or seven, with light blonde hair and light lavender eyes staring down at her with loving affection that was making her heart melt. "W-what –"

"Oh good you're awake!" the boy giggled. "That was fast! I would have thought you would be asleep for much longer because you may have hit your head hard on the steps."

She simply sighed, noticing the cuts in the palms of her hands before shaking her head at her stupidity. "Y-eah I heal fast," Zahra shrugged. "Anyways, who are you? I didn't know there were children here at the temple at such a young age."

"My sister **insists** I stay close to her," he snorted, "or at least be under constant supervision. You see, my sister is a high priestess and works for the pharaoh. Now that my father died I have nowhere else to live… so she put me under tutoring early and here I am! So who are you? What's your name? Why are you here?"

Zahra shook her head and grumbled, putting a finger up to his lips to keep him quiet. "One question at a time kid. I'm getting a headache."

"R-right," he chuckled lightly. "What's your name?"

"Ranpu," she answered simply.

"And who are you?" he continued without stopping.

"A… a priestess like yourself," she smirked lightly, "but I guess not really a priestess. I'm only a priestess-in-training. I never got a full initiation."

"Oh?" Monthu stared at her confused, "Why –"

"I wasn't living here anymore," she sighed, "and you have to stay at a temple for a few years before becoming a true priest. I would think a child would know that –"

"I do," he snorted, "but I'm asking _why~~_ didn't you get the initiation?"

"Ummm…" Zahra thought to herself for a few moments before answering, "Because… because I simply couldn't. My parents were dead, I had no interest in becoming a priestess, and I got caught up in some pretty sticky situations. I had no time to formally study in a temple… though I'm not saying I never studied. I have. I know a lot about chanting spells, praying to the gods, and healing other people. I just didn't get the certification to show I'm a priestess… and I may never do so."

"Oh," he frowned. "Then why are you here –"

"Master Monthu, are you bothering the poor girl?" the older man interrupted their conversation, walking into the room with the knife in his hand.

"Imamu I am not! –"

"It's alright," Zahra chuckled, noticing the much taller man with large sea green eyes staring down at her. She wasn't surprised by the baldness of his head, but the markings he wore with pride on the left side of his face startled her, only slightly. "Thanks," she sighed, grabbing the knife from him and quickly slipping it back under her dress. "Now that we're done talking I should go –"

"Not yet!" Monthu yelped. "W-we still need to –"

"Master Monthu, you know your sister's rule: you mustn't see people who aren't associated with the priestly order of Seth," Imamu told him.

"But –"

"It's alright," Zahra groaned and got out of the bed, "I'm expected somewhere anyways. If I don't show up in… probably a few more minutes they'll come looking for me. Maybe we'll see each other again?"

"I-I guess," Monthu frowned, watching as the woman grabbed her belongings and hastened out of the room.

Imamu noticed the boy's sadness and smiled sweetly. "You did the right thing," he patted him on the back.

"Yes," Monthu huffed and began to walk away, "but I wish I could keep her around just a bit longer. Why do I have to stay here Imamu? It's so boring here! Isis won't let me go out into the world and see everything for myself. Why not?"

"Well I –"

"It doesn't matter," Monthu snorted, "because no one cares for me anyways." He grumbled under his breath and quickly left the room, Imamu sighing as he rushed after the boy before he got too far.

! #$%^&*()

"Woh kid, you look like you've gone to Hades and back," Daleel chuckled joyfully, the men around him laughing as Zahra jumped down and threw a knife at his feet. "HEY! –"

"Speak ill of the gods like that and you'll end up dying in a pit of fire," Zahra snorted and shoved him over, grabbing the bottle in his hand and glugging it down, "and besides I'd _hate~_ to see a man, such as yourself, dying before he had a chance to truly live."

"Oh is that so?" Daleel snorted, reaching for his bottle and falling down to the ground.

She used her foot to keep him on the ground and she glugged the rest of his alcohol, smashing the bottle against the ground and it shattered beside him. "Now where's these worthless men –"

"Over there," he hiccupped and pointed to the men watching them, their eyes coming into contact with her cold gaze. They all frowned and a few snarled, but Zahra wouldn't take anything they had to say. "Come now, help me up –"

"Help yourself up, you drunk," Zahra sighed and walked away, eyeing the men cautiously. She didn't like their gaze and they certainly didn't like her own, but if she was going to command a bunch of brutes she'd had to be firm. That was one mistake that almost lost her life on several occasions –

"Hey look it's Ranpu!" a man tried to wave, but she simply rolled her eyes.

"Gaius, I should have known you were up to this," she snorted, watching as the man almost fell over and eventually slumped over her shoulder.

"_Come on~~_. You need a break! Come have a drink with us –"

"I'm not drinking till we get the details of this mission settled," she snarled and flung his arm away, waking him from his daze slightly, "and I thought you would be smarter than this –"

"_Hey~_ I was just pulled out of the blue," he hiccupped, "and _besides~_ I didn't think I'd see you here –"

"Well plans change, so shut up already," she growled. Zahra looked over at Daleel, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and Gaius, who was wandering away from her in a drunken state about to hit a wall. She sighed and shook her head. None of her men were ready for her. Then there was only one thing to do, continue the investigation herself. She didn't need men. She never did! She only relied on her own wits anyways. They were only holding her back. Grumbling under her breath she grabbed a piece of stray paper from her pocket and quickly wrote a message, tying the note to Daleel's shirt. Then she walked into the bar, letting out a frustrated sigh as she walked up to the bartender and ignored all the gazes she got. "Hey do you know Daleel –"

"You're the woman he was waiting for?" the bartender huffed and looked out the door. "Well it seems you've just missed him –"

"If he ever walks back in here just give him this slip of paper," she sighed and gave him another paper she had written a similar note on. "If he wants to find me he can do it himself. Now if he wonders where I went I'm getting this business done so I can leave… alright?"

"Sure whatever," he snorted and tucked the paper under the counter, Zahra nodding and quickly leaving out the back doors. Sadly she hadn't noticed the eyes upon her, a few men walking out of the tavern to try to chase down the woman.

But before they could the woman disappeared into the night behind the corner of an alleyway, not a trace of her cloak to be seen for miles around. "Shit, Bakura's going to be annoyed," one of them snarled.

"Well whatever," another huffed. "I don't see why he told us to follow her and grab her anyways –"

"I have a feeling I do, but now is not the time to talk about it," the other sighed. "Now let's get back to the tavern. I'm _starving~~_!"

Zahra shook her head and chuckled under her breath, watching as the men disappeared back into the tavern. "Men are such dolts," she snorted, quickly finding a way off of the roof and jumping down onto a side street in case anyone saw her.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Dark jaded green eyes stared into a village hidden away in the sandstorms of the desert, a perfect hiding spot for a group of murderous thugs. Zahra snarled under her breath, her search had fallen short here. After following the information she had gathered she found herself in the village of Pthah-em-Bai, an odd name for a place that looks to be deserted. Perhaps at one time this was a thriving community, but wars and famine in the area caused this place to be inhabitable. She knew of these places well. She liked spending time in nice secluded places, knowing no one would go out of their way to see if anyone was there. Now this was a place for the Tariqis to congregate and keep wanderers away. No one seemed to leave except for the occasional guards and a large group of soldiers to go with the tax collectors and take payments, usually in the middle of the night. She had spent several days watching them from afar, on top of a ridge overlooking the village. She was waiting to see if anyone else had followed her messages and made their way there, but she guessed no one would show up. Zahra was on her own for now.

She took her time to calculate the perfect plan into the village. Certain buildings were obviously being used for storage and housing, others for prisons. She wanted to know how many were there, but from the looks of the village there were prisoners underground as well as above. Some people would come out of the village battered and bruised, but most left as bodies to be thrown to the crocodiles. Night was when they were most active, but night was her best option for movement. When the large groups of guards left for the night Zahra would sneak into the village and into the prisons to see how many may be saved and if anyone she knew was laying waste in the bottom of the pits. It was a risky move, seeing as they slept during the day, but she wouldn't be undercover of the darkness if she moved in the day. Plus she could do her best techniques at night. Zahra just had to keep herself as quiet as a mouse. Leaving the position of the rocks she made her way down, hoping not to disturb even the grains of sand beneath her feet. She left her horse tied to a nearby rock, but she explained if the horse was seen that he could run. She'd find another way to escape, but for the horse to be captured would be another liability Zahra didn't have time for. Kalil stayed by the horse, ready to cut the reins with his teeth and alert Zahra of any danger. If she wasn't back by sunrise he would venture into the village after her, ready to kill if necessary.

She took her time, using the shadows to her advantage. She left the buildings that were lit alone and only ventured into those that were dim, only having to avoid the occasional guard. Zahra found a place to sneak in through the roof, climbing down and noticing how dark the building was. Only a torch lit every few yards, leaving her room to move within the shadows. When she finally came upon the prisoners she frowned, noticing the bruises, burns, and decay that showed on their bodies. They were obviously tortured for one reason or another, others simply wasting away without food and water. She cringed. A few, she could tell, were being used as experiments and had their limbs sewed back together, but at a beginner's attempt. Some prisoners had missing parts, like fingers or skin, and were reattached to other prisoners close by. A few of their chests she saw organs had been removed, perhaps seeing if a person would live if one organ was transferred from another person. Some were successful, but Zahra knew that many more died in the process. She was feeling sick to her stomach, but she had to move on. She could help them later, but she'd need a bigger plan. Continuing to walk in the darkness a faint voice began to call to her, Zahra looking over to find a shriveled up shell of a man reaching up for her in the shadows. "_Skia~_… _Skia Diana_…"

"Bes?" she gasped and rushed over to the cell, leaving the safety of the shadows to see him. "Y-ou ended up in here too –"

"_Leave Ranpu_, b-before they get to you _too_ –"

"No," she growled and narrowed her eyes, "it is my mission to help you, everyone here –"

"I-I already _tried_ and got caught," he coughed and pointed to himself, "and now look at me! Listen, _d-don't ever come back here _–"

"Don't argue with me," she growled. "This is my job. Now stay right there… I'll get you out." Bes had a look of doubt on his face as she left, but once she came back with the keys his eyes lit up. She quickly unlocked his door and unhooked his chains, letting him stumble to his feet before leaning onto her for support. "Hey I got you," she whispered to him, Bes grumbling under his breath about how incompetent he was while she only smirked. She had to get out of here before the guards found out someone was there, carrying Bes on her back as she rushed through the hallway. Looking at the people in the cells she hoped to come back in a few days, but right now she couldn't help them. If she let them escape they wouldn't have enough strength to leave. They'd all end up dead… and Zahra didn't want to find out how they tortured unwanted guests.

She rushed as fast as she could out of the village, dashing through the ridge and up to her horse. Kalil looked over as Zahra laid the man on the ground, grabbing her water and letting him slowly have his fill. "This is perfect evidence for Daleel," she huffed, helping the man onto her horse as she untied the reins and looked back to the village, "but I hope this place doesn't vanish on me. Come Kalil. We'll come back here soon enough." She let the horse walk till she felt they were far enough away from the village to run at full speed, trying to leave the misery behind her and hope she wasn't too late for Bes and the other prisoners.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

Zahra snarled, turning her head towards the desert before rushing into the quiet town. She quickly jumped off of the horse, Bes almost falling off before she could grab him. "Damn it all!" she snarled, carefully setting Bes on the ground. "Bes can you hear me?... BES?!"

"I-I… _uuugh_…" he sighed, Zahra noticing his eyes beginning to roll into the back of his head.

"Oh no you don't!" she growled and rustled into her bag, pulling out long strips of bandages and setting them beside her. She had to find the source of blood first, quickly noticing the goo coming from his chest. She ripped apart his shirt to find a set of stitches around his stomach area, the stitching coming apart. "Disgusting," she snarled. She quickly went to work, completely ignoring anyone who may be looking over at them. Zahra grabbed another few items out of her bag: some rags, a small kit with needles and thread, and some water and alcohol. Watering down a rag she tried to get as much of the blood out as she could, at least enough to see what was going on. She narrowed her eyes. One of his organs was replaced with another organ. It wasn't the stomach, but it was an organ what she knew was important in the body. After all every organ is needed in the body. Only a few could be replaced, but that was only a few. How she knew this? Well… she smirked; it's just something she figured out over the years.

If she didn't work quickly Bes wasn't going to make it. Zahra pulled out the thread that was keeping his skin together, a poor attempt to stitching she must add. Using one hand to keep pressure on his chest, she threaded her needle with her teeth in the other hand. Tying the thread she quickly sewed up his wound, doing a much better job than the person that sewed him before. Ignoring a sudden shriek behind her Zahra uncorked the alcohol bottle, slowly pouring it on his wound. Bes' eyes opened in shock and he cried out, the woman smirking as she began to hum casually and drink down the rest of the alcohol. "I thought I lost you," she chuckled lightly, though from her smug voice someone could hear a hint of nervousness in her tone.

"W-well you didn't," he groaned, his body surging through pain, "I was just t-aking a n-nap –"

"Nap my ass," she growled. "You should have told me they experimented on you before we left –"

"I-I'm not going t-to g-et you stop f-for me –"

"Nonsense. That's why I showed up," Zahra huffed, shoving a rag into his mouth. "Now shut up and bit down. I'm not finished yet." Bes frowned, but he didn't complain till the needle went back into his chest. "Damn it stay still!" she growled and sat on his legs, trying to pin him to the ground as she dug the needle back into his skin. "I can't heal you, for Ra's sake –"

"Don't start cursing the gods or you'll end up in a pit of fire," a voice came behind her and chuckled darkly, Zahra huffing under her breath and tried to ignore him. Daleel quickly frowned noticing the look of worry hidden in her eyes. He quickly knelt down and held Bes hands above his head, Zahra looking over at him with a smirk before her eyes hardened and she continued with her work. There were voices around them, a group gathering around them to gaze upon Bes or wonder why Daleel was helping the woman, but Zahra blocked the voices from her mind. She was looking for another voice in her mind, much quieter than those around her, and hoped she'd be given guidance if Bes started acting up again. Though that time never came, Zahra dabbing his newly stitched wounds with an alcohol-filled rag as he cringed in pain. Sighing she took out a small container, Daleel raising an eyebrow noticing how low the salve in the container was. "… You've been handing out your medicine, haven't you?"

"Of course I was," Zahra snorted, "but I don't think I'll have enough for the rest of them."

"Rest of them?" Daleel looked over at her confused.

Zahra snarled under her breath. "Damn the high priest that organized this. They're taking those they've captured and torturing them… even experiment. From the looks of Bes' chest his organ was replaced with that of a smaller animal, a sheep or goat I think." She let out a deep sigh, shaking her head before she got too angry and calming herself down as she began to wrap Bes' chest with the bandages. "… This is so underground Daleel. There are a few men in charge and they need… I think they should die," she narrowed her eyes, her face turning dark. "This isn't right. I don't even know how many will live if we open their cells. Bes could barely get out of his cell and he almost perished. Think of how many others are going to die if we don't go about this the right way –"

"But I don't exactly care about the others –"

"I do!" she looked up and glared at him, Daleel flinching at the dark green glow coming from her eyes. Then she blinked in confusion, noticing his movement away from her before looking to the ground in shame. "… If you're not willing to help the others then I'm leaving my post," she mumbled under her breath, low enough for him to hear, "because I'm _**never**_ going to leave anyone behind, you understand me? They're already taking men and women, and I have a feeling they'll start taking children too. This has to **stop**."

Daleel let out a deep sigh, considering her proposal. "… Fine," he huffed, "but you won't come up with the plans. There is too much at stake and I know you've learned more then what we could understand. Plus you can heal those who get back… but I doubt that's what you're thinking."

"Nope," Zahra chuckled, shoving her items back into her bag and standing up. "Do what you want. Make sure everyone is gone… but I'm coming with you. People die all the time, but I want to save those I can," she tried to explain. "Look, I need to hunt down the men responsible for this. They're not getting out of this alive… and I have a feeling there's more to this then just experiments. I think there's a supernatural being involved."

"Why do you say that –"

"I felt a presence watching me when I was getting Bes out of his cell," she sighed. "I was careless. I walked into the light in my haste. The creature quickly sensed me and I could tell it was communicating with a human. So that'll mean they'll come after me now… they know who I am."

"Well this makes things harder –"

"That's why I insist on coming," she huffed. Zahra looked over at the men behind her, a few of them looking away to avoid her gaze as others walked over to Bes, but Daleel glared at them too causing them to stop in fright. "I can only move forward now. If that creature is what I think it is… well let's just say she better get on my side before I annihilate her," she smirked.

"She –"

"It's a woman that noticed me," Zahra winked. "I can tell by the way the creature is thinking when they sensed me. With Bes involved… this is becoming personal," she snarled, "and no one hurts my friends and family, **ever**."

Daleel smirked at her tone of voice, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "… Well, when you kill them don't go too overboard."

"Trust me, I'll do much more than that," Zahra snorted.

"Well I think this calls for a drink," Daleel chuckled and led her into the tavern where the others had moved Bes into, "and you should tell me what's going on."

"Sure, if you promise to stay sober till I'm done," she huffed.

"Fine!" he chuckled lightly, "but next time, make your directions easier to understand. I couldn't remember the words between left and right!"

"Gods you're hopeless!" Zahra laughed, letting Daleel pull out a seat for her at a table close to the corner as he ordered their drinks for the night.

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: Oh boy! A new arc! Exciting right? XD And it seems to me there's many people looking for Zahra, though she has a knack for staying hidden so she shouldn't have any problems… probably… anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Not exactly the happiest of chapters, but it will get better, I promise ;3 SEE YOU LATER!**

Monthu – Egyptian – falcon-god of war

Imamu – Swahili – spiritual guide

Gaius – Latin – lord

Pthah-em-bai – overseer or keeper of the bulls of Pthah

Bes – Egyptian – protector


	26. The Millennium Key

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Well here comes then next chapter! Finally getting the story to move along XD So I hope you enjoy this. Remember I love to get comments so don't forget to comment after this chapter. and… yeah. That's it! ENJOY!**

! #$%^&*()

A man stood behind her, watching with a smirk as Zahra slowly cooked herbs in a vast pot of boiling water. "… I see the little priestess is working hard again –"

"Marcius Gaius, don't you have something better to do than bother me?" Zahra snorted under her breath, lazily mixing the pot with a large wooden ladle.

"Nope," he huffed, "and a lot of people are already asleep… I just don't see why you're not yet."

"I'm tired," Zahra sighed, "but I can't sleep. You know that. I can never rest till everyone is safe and sound."

Marcius rolled his eyes. "Ranpu, Ranpu, you need to sleep. We can't have our leading commander up at all hours of the night getting cranky –"

"_Come on~_. I like staying up late. I hate having to wake up in the mornings anyways," she snorted under her breath. "… Besides I need to finish making the medicine. We'll be needing it soon enough –"

"Well maybe we could help if you only told us the recipe –"

"There are stuff in here you wouldn't even be able to obtain," she rolled her eyes and huffed, "besides Marcius, I'm very nervous. What if something bad happens?... I'm getting to old for this."

"Are you kidding me?" Marcius snorted. "You? Old?! That's the craziest thing I've heard –"

"I'm just getting tired of this game," she looked over at a frown. "Look, you're young. You still have energy and you don't mind running into danger, but I'm getting older. You know who I meet? Women who were married, have had kids, and are coming to the end of their lives… I don't want that. I don't want to die yet, but then again I wouldn't mind settling down… it's just hard."

"… Wow," he blinked, confused, "I-I didn't know the Shadow Huntress felt this way –"

"I have for some time now. That's why I was planning on staying up north, but plans changed," she sighed. "Now I don't know where I'm going again… I'm just running in circles again."

"If you plan on running in circles what about finding your past?" he asked. "You've said time and time again you wish to know where you came from… perhaps this is the best chance to do so. While you're back in Egypt, while you're still running around, ask questions. Things happen for a reason, or at least that's what you've told me Ranpu."

She smirked. "Wow you can memorize things."

"Hey I learn from the best," he chuckled lightly, "but I can see your concern. I've seen the list of names that have vanished… I don't like where this mission is going."

"Neither do I, but it happens," she huffed. "Just stay out of my way, you know like normal."

"I just don't like the idea that they have Vitus and Aurelia. They're like you, aren't they?" he asked.

"Yep," Zahra smirked and turned the pot. "Half mortal, half god. Not as powerful as me, of course, but close enough. That's why we need to find them, at least know what happened. If they used them or currently using them… I don't want to think what'll happen if they get a hold of their powers."

"… What exactly can happen –"

"Aurelia told me they come from the goddess Luna, ironic I know. To come across children of the moon who needed help," Zahra chuckled lightly before sighing and scratching the back of her head. "They wanted to join us and Daleel let them… but I was only supposed to be a stop road for them. Their destiny was supposed to take them somewhere else, but I guess they wanted to go to Egypt because of me."

"You –"

"I told them stories," she sighed, "and now I regret it. I'll confess, no matter where I go this is my home, but Vitus and Aurelia weren't supposed to come here. I never thought they would… I guess I was wrong."

"You can only do your best," Marcius chuckled, "and trust me, you've done a lot… I guess you're right. It's about time for you to hold back and settle. I don't know why women always feel that way –"

"You can say I just can't find anything exciting anymore," Zahra smirked. "Everything feels the same, even this mission does. It reminds me of when I was in the Italian states and had to hunt down those thugs that tried kidnapping all our men."

"That's when you got your name –"

"And when I can across you," Zahra winked. "Don't worry though. If you don't piss me off you'll never have to end up like they did."

He smirked. "You have the same anger in your eyes as back then. You're going to mark them, aren't you?"

"Probably," Zahra shrugged. "I have to show I was there, right?"

"Gods Ranpu, if you don't die now your mind will destroy you," he rolled his eyes.

"It already has," she chuckled and stood up, making sure everything was mixed up just right before adding more ingredients.

Marcius shook his head before letting out a deep sigh. "Well… I guess it's time for me to retire. We'll be leaving once Apollo is high in the sky, right?"

"Pretty sure that's the plan," Zahra nodded slightly, "but you'll have to wake me up if I fall asleep."

He rolled his eyes. "Darn. I don't want to die." Zahra just smirked as Marcius retired back into the tavern, Zahra staring into the boiling pot and quickly turning to her thoughts. There was more at stake then Daleel realizes. Perhaps he does, but doesn't show it. That's what Zahra liked about him. He can continue to drink and sleep around without worrying about the details that keep his men up at night. There is so much at stake and sadly Zahra only knew of a few places the Tariqis will be. She has told Daleel and Marcius about them, especially explaining the place where Zahra had found Bes. Now that they may know about her arrival she'll have to be stealthy and take her time. She can't run into this, not yet. She'll bid her time. She just hoped everything would work out for the best, that nothing will go wrong tomorrow. The plan was for the groups to split up, scouting around for the Tariqis as Zahra took the leaders down one by one. Will she show mercy?... Zahra doubted that, but if she could find a glimmer of light in their soul perhaps she will. For now the plan was to kill them, take them out before anymore harm comes to the common people.

She began to wonder if the pharaoh was even aware of this. She highly doubts it, or was truly the organizer of this group from the very beginning. Though Zahra had a feeling he wasn't… but it was only a feeling. She couldn't be sure. She sighed, kicking at the rock under her foot and letting it roll off into the middle of the road. She knew she wouldn't be bothered. No one dared after she ran into the town and healed a man that almost died on the spot. Actually she was asked to heal a few people in the town, but Daleel stood up and said she wouldn't do so without proper payment. Then Zahra simply walked away, healing those that asked her for help. That's why she was still up. She couldn't fall asleep and rest, she had to keep her energy up. Besides the moon and the stars always made her relax and feel better, as if they were healing her while she sat content under their heavenly glow. That is, until a shadow walked in front of her light, Zahra looking up to come into contact with dark purple eyes with the rest of his face hidden behind a white cloth in front of his mouth and around his head. "What now –"

"You know kid, I've noticed what you've been doing," he commented, sitting beside her and glaring at her, "but I'm starting to believe that you're going to get in my way –"

"Is this seriously the time?" Zahra sighed and shook her head. "What? Are you going to kill me? Is that why you're hiding your face –"

"No, it's because I saw a few guards walk into town," he huffed.

She then smirked, "The high King of Thieves hiding his face, typical."

"Is that an insult –"

"Actually no," she shrugged, "I've come across thieves that don't hide their face at the proper times and end up dead in a matter of days. So, Mister Bakura, why are you here? Surely you must know something about me after our last conversation to talk to me so casually –"

"I actually would like to ask for your help," he began. "You see, I notice you have powers –"

"Oh you think so?" she snorted. "Well if you haven't noticed I'm a bit busy right now –"

"Simply hear me out," he held up his hand. "Now… I notice that you accept fees. I'll pay you five thousand pounds of gold if you join us."

"Us?" She raised an eyebrow, "Why would I join you? Besides you haven't told me what you've wanted –"

"Your help in defeating the pharaoh –"

"Then I'm not helping," she narrowed her eyes at him.

Bakura snarled, "Why woman?"

"I made a promise I wouldn't and I never go back on a promise," she huffed and looked over to the pot, obviously deep in thought.

He noticed the tired look in her eyes and smirked. "You're just afraid of them aren't you?" he chuckled lightly, "but I have ways of making you help –"

"Don't even try," she snarled under her breath. "Look, you want to know why? I have no reason to. You probably believe that everything bad in Egypt is the pharaoh's fault, but in truth it's those that corrupt his courts. If you consider killing those people, then maybe I'll help."

He smirked, "Killing every high priest –"

"No that's not what I said," she huffed. "Only those that have done wrong and don't look for forgiveness."

He snarled, "That's a highly impractical idea –"

"Look, right now I don't really care about your needs. I have my own to take care of. If you want my help it won't be today… besides I don't even know what you know about me," she snorted and grabbed the spoon, taking a slight taste of her medicine before putting the spoon back in the pot, "so I don't even care. Now I think it's best for you to go –"

"I have no reason, not yet," Bakura chuckled, pretending to get comfortable on the rock just to annoy the woman. Zahra looked back to the pot, grumbling under her breath and wishing the man would leave. He kept a smug grin on his face, noticing his presence was angering her. "… I do have a question."

"What?" she snarled under her breath.

"Hey help all those people?" he asked, Zahra looking over at him with a dark look in her eyes. "Going out into the world and helping those small tribes, killing men, and saving lives. Why do all that? Isn't that just a waste of time –"

"Nothing is a waste of time unless you chose it to be," she glared at him. "How do you even know that –"

"I researched," he smirked. "So don't play dumb." Zahra looked down and sighed. "… How did you even learn to do all that? The fighting, healing? I barely see women do that, and not even once have I heard someone do all those things at once –"

"I learned," Zahra interrupted him, looking to the fire, "and for some reason I felt it was something I needed to do. I need to fight to survive. I need to learn to heal to heal myself… but honestly I learned more than I ever thought possible and I doubt I would have learned everything here." She chuckled lightly, "My gods… I don't know anymore. What's wrong with me?"

"You're a woman," he shrugged as if it was common.

She narrowed her eyes, "and you're an idiot," she snorted.

He smirked. "May I say one thing."

"What?" she growled.

"Just think about my offer. I have a feeling you'll be sticking around for a while, and I know you don't mind helping those in need," he winked at her, Zahra glaring as he stood up and left in a hurry.

She let out a sigh once he was gone and shook her head, wondering why he even showed up. Then it occurred to her, he must have been keeping an eye on her for some reason, but why? "Damn," she growled. This seems to always happen. They learn too much about her and try to get a hold of her for themselves. She's seen so many men and organizations, even cultures; fall because they wanted her powers. He's just a man among a sea of many, another who will try to track her down to do his bidding. Well Zahra will have to keep on her toes. "Another one on my tail, joy," she sighed and rolled her eyes. Noticing her mixture was about done she added a few more ingredients, hoping nothing else would show up before she was done making her handmade medicine.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"What the gods Marcius?!" Zahra cried out, flailing her arms in the air as the two merchants walked side by side down the street. "You **lost** him? _**Lost~?**_ What the hades –"

"I'm sorry he distracted me," Marcius snarled back, trying to glare the woman down. "Ihab was running one way, Minkabh went the other, a-and I got confused –"

"Well maybe you should grow some eyes in the back of your head!" She glared back; her green eyes burning intently causing Marcius to flinch. Then she let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes before looking away from him. "… Did you catch **someone**?"

"We caught a few of the guards, but they committed suicide before we could question them," he tried to explain, "and as for their leaders… they escaped."

"I have to do everything myself, don't I?" she growled under her breath.

"Oh! Actually there's this guy named Serapis that's still alive –"

"You couldn't have said that before I started yelling at you, huh?" she sighed. "… Okay fine. I'll meet with him tonight at sundown. Can you handle watching a man for a few hours?"

"Of course –"

"Because if you don't I'll have your head on a golden platter," Zahra snorted.

"Okay fine! I get it! _Sorry~ _for irritating you!" he huffed. "Yiesh! You have a temper –"

"Yep," she shrugged and turned down an alley way. "Don't be a fool Marcius."

"Whatever," he snorted back, turning away from her as Zahra walked down the alley into a main stretch of road.

She sighed, running a hand through her head and slightly revealing the cut under her hair. "Damn demons," she snarled, pressing a finger to the healing scab. "It's not healing as fast as the others… this is going to be a problem," Zahra frowned. Then she pulled her hood closer to her face and rustled up her hair so the black strands hid her wound, slipping through the crowd and making her way to the other side of the town. She didn't have much to do right now. They had freed everyone that was captive and saved those who hadn't grasped hold of death yet. Still she didn't want to hurry with her interrogation. Zahra was tired after the couple days previous, unable to sleep properly and working nonstop. Now that they knew who would live and who didn't, she could continue her search for the other Tariqis groups. If they can't cause them to fall, at least dispel them while they're confused. She quickly stopped, noticing the people around her bowing to the ground. "Hes," she mumbled under her breath, unable to escape in time.

Before Zahra had time to react she was forced to the ground by spears, two guards yelling at her to kneel down to a high priest. "Let the woman go," the priest said with a slight sigh, "she is of no interest to us."

"But Master Shada –"

"We're not here to play games," he continued, glaring at the guards, "now let her go."

At once the guards lifted their spears, Zahra rising and scratching the back of her head. He raised an eyebrow, noticing a long scar under her hair until she hid it from view. "I'm sorry for my irreverence," she bowed slightly, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible, "but I hadn't known that a noble was passing by. Please forgive me, great high priest."

Shada stared at her cautiously, narrowing his eyes. "… How did you get that scar on your head?"

"Oh this?" Zahra giggled slightly, running a hand through the healing flesh and scrapping off part of the healing wound. "A large lion attacked me a week ago. Came right out of nowhere –"

"You're lying," he snarled and jumped off of his horse, causing Zahra to glare back and take a few cautious steps backward. "Where did you get the wound woman?"

"None of your damn business, _**priest**_," she growled back, till she was hit in the shoulder with the end of one of the spears and slammed into the ground.

"You will address the High Priest Shada with more respect!" the guard yelled at her, about to strike her again till the gentle hand of the priest was placed on his weapon and forced away.

"**Enough**," Shada narrowed his eyes, his voice stern as he spoke. The guard quickly looked down and backed away, noticing the anger on the priest's face.

Zahra laughed darkly. "Taking orders like a little whiny puppy," she chuckled, looking up at the guard.

He snarled and strikes her against her head, Shada suddenly shoving the man into the wall. "Bastard," he growled and placed the Millennium key into the guard's heart, the man letting out a scream as his soul was tapped by the item. Zahra's eyes widened, the blood dripping down her face so she could barely see the key's glow, but it was very visible to her… and she could see the man's soul change by the priest's touch.

"Dear gods," she gasped, slightly startled, but then she shook her head. Using the light to her advantage she stood up to run, unable to go far as she was forced back into the ground and had a set of ropes tie her wrists together behind her back. "Henen-tep, let go!" she struggled against the guards' hands, squirming as she was grabbed by her wrists and was forced to stand upright. Then Shada's gaze came upon her, pulling out his key from the guard. Zahra's eyes watched as the man slumped to the ground, his eyes completely glossed over as he lay motionless. She looked up and narrowed her eyes, her eyes not on the priest but on the item he was holding. "You dare hold that thing to me and I'll kill you!" she growled, trying again to get away.

The two guards behind her simply let her squirm, seeing what had happened to their comrade only a few seconds ago. "Now if you're done arguing," Shada narrowed his eyes, placing a hand on her forehead and swiping her hair away from the large gash on her head, "tell me where you got the scar, miss."

She kept her head down; her head starting to get dizzy from the blood lose. "… Keep that item out of my face and maybe I'll talk," she snarled, looking up at the priest with glowing anger in her eyes.

"Never," Shada responded, holding the key up to her forehead. "If you won't tell me with words, your mind will show me everything I know." He noticed the sudden fear in her eyes, but didn't stop his assault as he placed the key to her forehead and turned the lock on her mind. In a flash of light he was forced away, the Millennium key slipping out of his hands as he was thrown against a wall. Everyone in the area was pushed away, leaving the key laying contently in front of Zahra.

She simply stared down at the key, a dark loom hanging over her head as she tried to understand what was going on. Remembering that she was tied up Zahra slipped her dagger out from under her dress and used her feet to cut the rope around her wrists, quickly pulling the rope away and gripping the handle of the dagger in her hands. She shuddered, continuing to stare at the item. She was hearing voices, pleading for her to release them, and she didn't want to hear of it. But reluctantly her hand slowly moved towards the item, her body shivering from her movements. It only happened in a few seconds, a yell coming from Shada as the guards ran towards the woman. She gripped the Millennium key tightly as the world seemed to stand still, then a bright light consumed her. Zahra shielded her face and let out a cry, feeling strong energies passing around and through her till she threw the item away. Then she looked up, her face growing grim as she saw the figure before her. It was a young man with messy and soft black hair, his sterling sapphire eyes staring right into her core. She blinked in confusion. The man seemed familiar, but she couldn't figure out where. When he moved to touch her she shuddered and backed away, unsure to what was going on. "_Why have you moved away from us~?_" the man spoke, his voice slow and ominous.

Zahra narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by **that**?" she growled.

"_Ah yes~_, those memories of yours," he chuckled, kneeling down so they were seeing eye to eye. She tried moving away, but the man kept her still, his outstretched left foot pinning her down by the helm of her dress as he set his arm on his left knee. "You don't _remember~_, do you?"

She snarled. "What? Remember what?! Are you saying you took my memory away, huh demon! –"

"Demon?" he gasped slightly, "To call your own brother a demon is a little harsh, don't you think?"

Zahra simply stared at him confused, unable to process the words he was saying. "Brother? W-hat do you mean?"

The man let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair trying to come up with the perfect words to say. "… You've awoken me from the Millennium key, daughter of one of the holiest priestly families in Egypt, Ranpu. Don't you see what you've done? You can't keep running from your past anymore, my little sister –"

"_**Don't even dare**_," she snarled, trying to move away from him. "You disgust me. To suspect that I have anything to do with you is horrid. Who are you?! Why have you come!? –"

"Anubis, son of Seth and Nephthys, god of mummification and the afterlife. Because of this land a part of my soul was sealed into this mere object," he growled under his breath, "but you can help free myself from this prison –"

"Maybe you shouldn't have given dark magic to humans, _**Anubis~**_" she hissed back, trying to glare him down.

"We simply want your assistance –"

"I don't follow orders from you gods!" She growled, "Not now and not ever! I call my own orders Anubis. I'm not a doll you can use like that weak and worthless king, Karbukef."

He narrowed his eyes at her, the blue glint in his eyes slowly turning red. "Don't test me soul –"

"I will and I have," she snarled. "I'm not your bitch or your whore. Now release me!"

"You are not in a situation to be calling the shots!" he growled, grabbing her by the throat and picking her off of the ground. For a man that didn't look like he had a lot of meat on his bones, he had a strong iron grip around her throat. "Now Zahra," he snarled, his eyes glowing red, "I'll only ask you once: Will you join us in destroying the pharaoh?"

"Over my dead body," she growled in the language of the gods, the grip around her throat tightening as she gasped for air. Anubis growled back, anger on his face as he tried to suffocate the woman.

Then a dark beam of light came out of nowhere, slamming into the god and throwing him into a wall. Zahra was released and she was thrown to the ground, coughing up blood and gulping for air. She looked up and stared in shock, a tall thin man with short indigo hair and a long braid on the left side of his face appearing in front of her. He looked down at her with a look of sympathy in his chocolate eyes, holding out a hand for the woman to grasp. She didn't know who this spirit was, but she felt safe with him and grabbed hold of his hand so he could pull her up. Zahra yelped as she was pulled behind him, the spirit standing between her and the god. "Stay away from my daughter Anubis –"

"You have no right to talk to me like that mortal," Anubis snarled back, taking a step towards them. "Stand aside, spectre, and I'll be taking the woman with me –"

"She doesn't belong to you, but to us Anubis," the spirit glared. "You know our deal. If her mother and I become rightful priests of Anubis as our families before us and raise the child to be a priestess you'll leave the child to our village –"

"That was agreed when you were alive –"

"And still applies **today**," the spirit snarled. "Until each soul of our village is allowed to rest the girl belongs to us. We gave our souls for her revival and we will not rest till the Millennium items are destroyed –"

"See we're on the same page!" Anubis smirked. "You want to be released from your prison and so do we. So how about we compromise –"

"Now hold on a second!" Zahra yelled, standing beside the spirit and giving him a glare. "I do not know what is going on here, and if you don't tell me now I won't be helping **anyone**!" she growled. "I don't even know who you are," she pointed a finger at the spirit, "but yet you say you're my father? What's that all about?!"

The spirit blinked in confusion, but let out a sigh. Zahra slowly put her finger down, noticing the sadness on his face. "… You don't remember us, do you?"

"No I don't," she snarled in frustration. "I don't understand any of this. Why do you think I left? Huh?"

"_Zahra~_ –"

"Don't use my name so lightly," she growled.

The spirit narrowed his eyes. "You don't recall who I am? I've been around since the end of my death. I've been keeping watch over you ever since you began your life in this world. Who saved you in the mountains? You can't assume it was something out of thin air." Then his eyes softened, his hand slowly gripping her chin and tilting her head up so they were seeing eye to eye. "… I've seen you grow from a frightened little girl to a fiery young woman. I was with you when you were in the temples, and I was there when you escaped the vengeful gods and jumped onto the boat. I helped you train all these years into the warrior and thief you've become, so why must you say you do not know of me?"

She blinked in confusion, trying to process everything he said. Zahra looked down to the ground, shaking her head. "You… this… can't be true. I-I just…"

The spirit smirked, looking over at Anubis and standing in front of Zahra in a way to shield her. "Listen to me Anubis. I may be one of your priests, but as every other soul that has been trapped I am confined to the Millennium items. Now the girl is **ours**. There's no other way around that. We brought her to life. We used our energies to revive her body and make a deal with Osiris. _**Don't deny us our revenge**_… if your soul gets released with our efforts then so be it. If you want to make an offer say so now because if anything happens to this soul I'll personally kill you. You mark my words I will."

Anubis knew his words were an empty threat, but looking over at the woman and noticing the gleam in her eyes he could tell she would side with the spirit. He sighed, "I suppose… your words are true, but you must understand what is at stake here."

"You leave everything to us," the spirit chuckled, "and besides didn't the prophesy say our village will be remembered for centuries to come? How about you go back to your little work on the dead? We have plans to make." Anubis blinked at the spirit's words, but did as he asked so he turned away from them and disappeared into the sands. Zahra was still flustered, but shook her head trying to get her mind set around their conversation. "Zahra… Zahra we must leave –"

"I still don't know who you are," she glared, "and why are you visible, **now**, of all times?"

"The Millennium item released me from my bounds," he tried to explain, "and now every soul that was trapped in the Millennium key is visible to you and this world. Don't you know we've been floating around you, keeping the priests away from our conversation?" Zahra looked up, her eyes widening in shock. There was a thin glow around them and she could see the heads of skulls swirling around them and the glowing Millennium key on the ground. The high priest was yelling orders at the guards, the man trying to use his dark magic to break the barrier. "He does not understand that we are _of~_ the Millennium items," the spirit continued, "and the items derive from the ultimate shadow darkness. That is where we are trapped, in the shadow realm between this life and the afterlife. Only you, Zahra, can send us to our resting place, but there will be more time to explain later." He smiled to her, running a hand through her hair. Then his eyes narrowed, noticing the deep gash on her face created by Zorc. "… We will continue this conversation later," the spirit sighed and turned his head, facing the priest and preparing himself. "Once the wall is set down run for your life. There is only a limited window where we can stay in this world and help you. I will come and contact you later during a more appropriate hour, but remember Zahra that I am always here and protecting you, forever."

Zahra slipped her hood back over her head, hiding her scar from view. "Okay," she nodded, but had nervousness lingering in her voice, "I will ask my questions later."

"Good girl," he smirked to himself, slowly concentrating powers into the palm of his hand, "you know when to hold your tongue."

"Just… can you tell me your name before I go?" Zahra asked, looking at him with worry in her eyes.

"Seker," he said with a smile on his face, "Seker Ranpu. I took on your mother's last name when you were a child, for her family is a more powerful priestly family then I." As he mumbled his last words the barrier fell, Zahra running as fast as she could while the spirit stood strong against the guards and the high priest. She looked back with a look of worry in her eyes, but saw that the spirit was only stalling for time. She disappeared into an alley and threw off her cloak, grabbing a large, cleaner black cloak from her bag and slipping it around her body assuming the cloak on the ground would distract the guards. She hid her face under the cloak and moved through the town, hoping to get as far away from the pharaoh's men as she could. She didn't think to look back for the Millennium key, knowing the spirits wouldn't keep the high priest from his accursed item and soon let him be.

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**A/N: Oh wow. More ghost?! XD And Bakura showed up again. There we go! XD Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And I hope you enjoy your Halloween. I know my day following up to Halloween will be hectic, but on that night I'll find something to do ;3 Well enjoy yourselves. SEE YOU LATER!**

Marcius – Latin – defense, of the sea

Minkabh – Egyptian – justice

Serapis – Egyptian – variant for the god Apis; mainly worshipped in Alexandria, and later worshipped by the Greeks as Zeus. Never fully accepted by Egyptians in Ptolemaic period

_henen-tep_ – Egyptian – _dickhead_

_spectre_ – Latin – _a trapped human spirit, a ghostly appearing figure_


	27. The Unspoken Bond

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Okay. So I was bored today and wanted to write some more, so I decided to review a chapter before continuing ^^ Plus I have nothing else to do before my next class, so figured this would be the best thing to do. Let's see… pretty messed up stuff, right? Well let's hope it gets better… but I doubt it, with Zahra's luck XD ENJOY!**

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A young woman shivered from the cold, wrapping her long black cloak closer to her body. Zahra cornered herself as far as she could into the knot of an abandoned building, seeing no inhabitable people inside as she hid from the elements. The season of rain had finally come to Egypt, but after her encounter with the Millennium key she has been feeling sickly. "Damn voices," she mumbled under her breath, closing her eyes and letting out a rigid sigh. After being away from Egypt for so long the voices in her head had barely ceased to be noticeable and she could tone them out, but now they were back and they were back with a loud, unending vengeance. She could barely think anymore. Her mind was revolved around other matters. The intense expose to the key must have done this to her, and now an inflamed hatred for the pharaoh and his kind was burning a fire red in her eyes. It made her shudder and turned her cold. This is why she refused to come back to Egypt, but what can you do? The voices are back in her head trying to tell her what to do, what decisions she needs to bring about in her life. "_Revenge~_" she hissed under her breath, wrapping the black cloak tighter around her body and shifting to the wall for heat.

She wanted to know what those spirits were up to, why she had to be involved. The spirit that stood between the god and her said she was his daughter, his name even ending with Ranpu, but that didn't mean anything to her. She knew she wasn't normal. If not her mother then it would be her father who is human, but one was an evil creature, Zahra just knew that to be true. With that god appearing to her and saying they are related made her skin crawl. Why her? Why did she have to live through this torture in her mind? If she was part god or a complete god couldn't she just escape all this pain with her own powers? That was the thing, she didn't know. Zahra didn't recall anything of her past and now new memories seemed to be seeping into her mind, dark memories. She shook her head. They couldn't really be real… right? She blinked and looked to her bag, which was set beside her in the cold. She remembered that her head was still caked in blood and decided it would be best to clean herself up before anyone noticed, so she got to work. Grabbing her animal skin she emptied some of its contents on a rag and began to wipe her face, getting rid of the blood, dirt, and sand that was stuck to her face. She flinched, feeling the bruise and the puss of blood on her face. The guard hit her hard in the bone, between her eye and her cheek. It was a miracle he didn't poke out her eye and even more so that her wounds were already beginning to heal. She'd have a small cut and a bruise on her head for a while, but she'll be healed in a few more days, if not a week.

Her hands had done the same, the cut she had made in the palms of her hands almost healed. She didn't have to hide her wounds there and she could barely feel the pain. Zahra didn't know why, but that's how she normally was with wounds. Now the scratch hidden under her hair and bangs was a different story. Created by an abnormal creature, a powerful shadow monster, her head was taking longer to heal than normal. Maybe it'll be another week, perhaps two, but waiting for so long with so much pain was a newer experience to her than most. She was healing at the rate of a normal mortal being, but since it was a contusion on her head that won't end well if she continues to be strike on the head. The guard really messed her up and reopened the wound. She would have stitched her own head up, but she didn't have a mirror to see what she was doing. There was nothing now, and with all the blood she had lost earlier in the day she could barely think. At least cleaning her wounds will help, as long as her head didn't begin to bleed again. Zahra wondered if anyone was worried about her. Kalil probably was. After all she made him stay with Bes until she could get back, but she promised him she'd be back by nightfall. The sun had already set in the sky and she couldn't possibly stumble back to the tavern, not yet. Not until she was thinking straight and had everything sorted out. She doubted anyone else cared that she was missing. She was a woman after all, a material object to them. If she went missing it wasn't the end of the world for them, but if Daleel found out that she was gone they would get punished. Zahra smirked, Daleel was ruthless when he was angry and with her loss the organization of their investigation here will crumble.

She gently closed her eyes, trying to get some sleep. Her mind was bringing her in a state of consciousness and unconsciousness, and it was giving her a headache. If she ever returned Zahra was going to make sure she find that god again, find that spirit again and figure out why they kept trying to label her as being owned to them, why she was needed with them. With her eyes closed she started to hear voices in her head, but when a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder her eyes sprang open. She narrowed her gaze, but didn't move, her body too worn out to do so. "Seker," she hissed at him, "what do you want –"

He placed a finger on her lips, Zahra's eyes widening. Then the spirit cast a hand over her face, her eyes suddenly feeing drowsy. "Hush, my child," he said in a soft voice, "you'll feel better in the morning." Her body refused to respond to her plea as she felt his hands upon her, his thumb pressing against the wound on her face as he picked some of the blood onto his finger. "... Teremun come here," Seker instructed a young boy with long straight hair, pulled back in a pony tail as he came forward with a bowl of water. The boy, who looked to be about eight or nine, looked down at her with dark green eyes, a look of sympathy on his face as he helped Seker attend to his work.

Teremun gave her a slight smirk, Zahra trying to flinch away as Seker put the cold, damp rag on her forehead and began to clean her face. "You don't look well Zah. Did Ak make you do this?"

"E-eh?" Zahra looked at him confused, Seker letting a chuckle escape his throat.

"Don't confuse the girl Teremun," Seker sighed and took out a needle and thread. "You know why she doesn't remember you."

The boy simply sighed and looked away, noticing how damp and unlivable the building they were in seemed to be. "… Will Zah be okay? W-will she help us –"

"We can't simply decide for her," Seker smirked. "I was only buying some time before Anubis comes back. Hopefully, if my suspicions are correct, Zahra should start gaining back her memories… the fragments the gods refuse to show her that were hidden in the Millennium key."

"Will it hurt?" Teremun asked, setting the bowl down and kneeling down to press a comforting hand on Zahra's shoulder. Oddly enough her cheeks began to get red, a giggle escaping the boy's lips.

"I doubt it," Seker tried to explain, "Though she will probably be confused and have a headache. Maybe nausea, you know if you stand up too quickly and the world starts to spin. Stuff like that." Teremun nodded, deciding he would be done asking for the moment. Once the boy remained silent the man continued on his work, slowly stitching the woman's forehead as Zahra tried to flinch away. She groaned, having to close her eyes as the pain became a slow numbness. "_Relax child~_" Seker mumbled to her, running a hand through her hair in a way to comfort her, "don't worry about a thing. We'll protect you even till the end…" She blinked one last time to see the ghosts before her until she couldn't keep her eyes open, Zahra falling into a deep, dark sleep.

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"… and then a shield of energy surrounded the woman, Millennium key, and the god. I saw a spirit materialize between them and kick the item away, as if it meant nothing to their conversation," Shada explained himself, the pharaoh letting out a deep sigh.

"Do you know of this woman's name?" the pharaoh asked.

"I do not know," Shada confessed, "and because of the shield I couldn't hear what they were saying. Even so, by the way their lips moved, I don't think it was Egyptian… perhaps an old form of Egyptian."

"Interesting," the pharaoh thought aloud, looking to Siamun for council. "What do you think of the situation, old friend?"

"This is turning into a grave matter indeed," Siamun thought. "First a hoard of thieves infiltrate the palace and steal from the royal treasury, the Millennium Tome is destroyed by an evil force, and now this? The woman must be stopped. Whatever she is doing it is hurting the livelihood of the average Egyptian and everyone else in the kingdom. I suggest we resume search for her, as we search for Bakura and his men."

"It will be hard to find a woman without a name," Akhenaden commented. "Long black hair, green eyes, a black cloak, and white clothes? That could be third of the population! This is surely a lost cause. We'd have an easier time counting all the sands of the desert then working on finding this woman."

"I don't know," Mahado thought aloud. "I have come across this woman… she doesn't seem like the others. I suggest, great pharaoh, we search in all the slums and servant quarters. Surely she'll be found among the low lives of the kingdom. But I have a feeling she won't be found with the King of Thieves."

"Why do you say that?" the pharaoh asked.

Mahado sighed, closing his eyes before compiling himself on what he would say next. "When she left your tomb she was running from both I and the men under Bakura's command. She was startled to see them, indicating she didn't know they were there. But… with how events are moving, I have a feeling that disgusting thief will go and seek her out to use for his own plans. Not every human can wield a Millennium item. You have to be strong and pure of heart and mind to do so."

"He's right," Siamun thought aloud. "No ordinary person can touch an item without bursting into flames. What troubles me further is that fact that spirits **left** the Millennium key."

"I know," Shada sighed. "I don't understand why that happened… I don't even understand why a god would show up to a lowly woman. The strange thing was that the god seemed to have appeared from the Millennium key, but I never sensed a god living inside of the item." He looked down at his key and pressed his fingers around the gold, trying to think quietly to himself as the others bickered. It had only been a day ago, but the key wasn't acting the same as it used to. He didn't feel a constant flow of power as he always did; he was forced to use his own powers to use the key. It felt strange that the key wasn't responding to him, but he guessed most of its energy was drained after that day.

"Isis, do you see anything?" Siamun asked.

"… I do not know," Isis sighed, blinking and looking up to the pharaoh. "I am sorry, my king. The Millennium necklace refuses to show us the future of this woman."

"That's alright Isis," the pharaoh nodded, letting out a long, deep sigh. "… Increase the troops around the kingdom. Begin search in the cities and the towns. If Mahado is correct she will be living among them, and in the process we may catch wind of Bakura and his forces."

"Yes, my pharaoh," everyone bowed, turning away to go about their own duties.

"Wait Seto," Akhenamkhanen spoke up, the young high priest sighing as he turned around and crossed his hand over his chest.

"Yes my pharaoh?" Seto asked, a little started by his king's order.

"You have seemed… quiet for the past few weeks," the pharaoh began, "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" Seto chuckled lightly and scratched the back of his head, "nothing is wrong my king. It's just… the situation has myself flustered. This is one of the first times I've come across something like this."

The pharaoh smiled knowingly. "That's quite alright Seto. Just remember to not let your emotions falter you from your goals. Do take care of yourself and I wish you the best."

"Thank you, my pharaoh," Seto bowed to him, turning his back and walking out of the throne room. The pharaoh frowned. This situation was getting out of hand and he didn't understand why. Perhaps his brother will know this, Akhenamkhanen decided, and can help him settle the situation further.

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"Did you hear the report?" a man whispered to another.

"Yeah. The pharaoh's troops are going to be stationed around the town. Isn't that crazy?!" the other spoke.

Another man grumbled under his breath, overhearing their conversation. "So Marcius, how is your situation so far?" the bartender asked, the man letting out a tired sigh.

"I don't know," Marcius shrugged. "After yesterday Zahra went missing. It's already the middle of the afternoon and we haven't seen her all day." He sighed, "I hope she didn't get herself killed. I have no idea where to start looking for these Tariqis. She kept all the information to herself, except with Daleel, and by this point the whole mission will be terminated."

"I'm sorry to hear that –"

"Tell me about it," Marcius mumbled under his breath. "After this mission I would have had enough to leave the country and move my family to my homeland, but I don't think that'll be possible. I'll have to wait another year, unless another mission as important as this comes up."

"I wish you the best of luck," the bartender nodded, "and by the way, Daleel sent out a mission to Zahra. Since she isn't here perhaps you'd like to take it. It's only a level epsilon, so it won't be difficult."

"Let me see," Marcius asked, the bartender setting the scroll in his hand so the man could read it himself. Looking over the writing he smirked, seeing a familiar name in the shipment of cargo. "I'll send a few men to pick this cargo up immediately," he thought aloud. Marcius hopped Zahra will show up by the time the shipment arrives. He'd love to see the look on the woman's face when she sees the shipment of goods that were sent directly from Greece.

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"_Oh gods Ter Ter, are you serious?!" a little girl gasped, the boy walking down the road beside her chuckled lightly to her comment. _

"_Of course Zah," he smirked. "What? You don't think I can do it?"_

"_I never said you couldn't," she mumbled under her breath, "but… what if you get hurt –"_

"_Geeze girl, you're always so worried!" He laughed, "Don't worry about a thing! If I die… well that's a natural part of living right? What we're supposed to do in this world isn't natural Zah, not by a long shot. Your job is to bury the dead, but yet you come from a bloodline that can revive the dead. I… well I'm not as awesome as you are, I suppose," he sighed, "but maybe, with some training, I will be."_

"_I just don't want you to get hurt Ter," she gave him a weak smile. "What you want to do… you can really hurt yourself, both physically and mentally. Trust me; it's hard to guide souls in the afterlife. I doubt you'll be able to get back without assistance."_

"_But…" he let out a tired sigh and looked to the ground. "But after they died I…"_

_Zahra gave him a weak smile, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry about anything," she tried to reassure him. "Your family is doing well in the afterlife."_

"_How can you know?" he asked, staring over at her with hurt dark green eyes._

"_Because I can see them smiling to you every single day," she chuckled lightly, "and your father would be proud of what you're trying to accomplish. Your mother too… heck your older brother is also."_

"_Thanks," he gave her a weak smile, "but I still miss them." Then he let a chuckle escape his throat, "Well… at least I still have a brother, right?"_

"_That's right," Zahra grinned, "a younger brother that adores and loves you. Is it just me, or does he have a thing for little Dima?"_

"_I think he does," Ter laughed lightly. _

_The two of them exchanged laughs, making their way into the center of the village. Zahra looked around for someone in particular, Ter letting out a tired sigh as he stared off into the distance and saw the sun starting to rise. "Hey Zah, Ter, you made it!" a voice came from behind them, Zahra whipping her head around to come into contact with bright amethyst eyes. _

"_Ak!" she giggled happily and wrapped her arms around his neck, grabbing him in a tight embrace. "Of course we couldn't miss this, right Ter?"_

"_Nope," Ter chuckled lightly, "but it was hard to escape the parents. Master Seker insisted we pray longer than normal, and Zahra and I didn't even get any sleep."_

"_Well at least you came," Ak chuckled nervously, Zahra eyeing him suspiciously. _

"_Ak?" she asked with worry on her face, "… Are you nervous?"_

"_Yes, of course," he sighed. "What if I fail?"_

"_You won't fail," Zahra smirked. "You don't have to worry about a thing."_

"_That's right!" Ter exclaimed. "Just keep your head held high and make your family proud. We'll wait for you outside the temple Ak."_

"_O-okay," Ak chuckled nervously, looking over at Zahra and giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Will you wait for me too?"_

"_If you promise to be at my own ceremony when I turn ten," she winked back._

"_I promise I will," Ak smirked and began his decent into the temple, Ter and Zahra looking at each other uneasily as the doors closed. _

"… _Do you think Diabound will hurt him, Teremun?" Zahra asked with a frown on her face._

"_No, I doubt it," Ter chuckled. "I don't know what sort of relationship you have with that boy, but he is a strong individual in mind and spirit. I think Diabound will see that and spare him a trip to oblivion."_

"_Oh, by the gods, I hope so," Zahra let out a tired sigh and looked around, walking over to a rock and sitting down. "I guess all we can do now is wait."_

"_Yep," he smirked sitting beside her, the both of them resting their heads against the wall behind them, "just… wait…"_

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

"_The best way to concentrate your energy, or your aura, is by meditation. I want the two of you to find a nice, quiet place to sit all day and think. Channel your energies on one object and try to move it away. Try to bring your energy to life and let your soul take form. This usually takes months to master, so take your time in understanding how you feel." Ter and Zahra looked at each other fearfully and then back at Seker, who was looking down at them sternly with seriousness in his eyes. Noticing their hesitation he sighed, letting his features soften as he continued. "I know this is tough training, but you must bear with me. Teremun, I'm letting you train beside my daughter because I see potential in you to be a great priest… and I promised your parents I would if they died," he smirked. "If you both train well you can be as great as the high priests themselves, it's in your blood. I will give you time now to meditate and come into terms with our own bodies and minds."_

"_Thanks abbun," Zahra bowed, Seker smirking and rustling up her hair._

"_No need for thanks bin'nt," he kissed her forehead before turning to walk away, "just don't get into trouble today." The two children bowed and ran out of the house, Seker letting out a sigh as he sat down in a chair and faced a young woman sitting on the bed, whom was humming and sewing up patches onto tattered clothes._

_Zahra sighed as she walked, Ter casually walking beside her with his hands behind his head. "So do you know when Ak will get back from the raid?" he decided to ask._

"_I have no idea," she frowned, "but Mistress Eurybia says it won't be long. They've been gone for a few days so… I don't know."_

_Ter gave her a comforting smile. "Well, I hope you do well in your studies today," he grinned. "I'll go meditate over on the other side of the village if you need me."_

"_Okay," Zahra nodded. "I'll sit where I always do. If something happens look for me there." Exchanging goodbyes they went their separate ways, Zahra making her way to the necropolis located outside of the village in another mountain of rocks. There were a few yards of sand in between the large rocks, which was fine by Zahra. She liked secluded areas, and even though her village was very secluded it didn't hurt to have a place where she could be alone. Though… she was always alone… till Ak came along and talked to her._

_She sighed, running a hand through the familiar rocks before climbing to the top of the boulders. The village's local burial site was where she spent most of her time anyways. After all her father made her work there every day and every night… unless she was able to get out of working. Finally reaching the top she found her secret hiding spot, a small oasis at the top of the rocks and hanging above the graveyard below. It was her own little place where only those who dared to venture to the necropolis ever had a chance of seeing. There was natural water that filled up a large crevice in the rocks, which became the lagoon, and several trees and plants that have been growing long before she was born. She always felt at peace here, and with no one to bother her Zahra could sit under the shade of the trees and meditate. She let in a deep breath and then exhaled, crossing one leg on top of the other as she thought quietly to herself. What did her father mean by finding her aura and energy? She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate, wondering what he meant by his words._

! #$%^&*()

"_H-hey Zah!" a voice came from beside her, Zahra slowly opening up her eyes to find Amasa jumping excited towards her and sitting beside her wondering that his master would do._

"_Oh, you guys are back?!" she giggled happily, smiling at Amasa as she ran a hand through his head before letting out a yawn. "How was your first raid, Ak?"_

"_Grabbed some stuff," the boy smirked triumphantly once he got to the top of the boulders and skipped over the lagoon making his way over to where the girl sat, "and I got you something."_

"_Oh you did?!" she grinned, "That's great!"_

"_Say… what exactly are you doing?" he asked, Zahra suddenly noticing the frightened look in his eyes. _

"_Ummm… training. Why?" she tilted her head confused, Ak pointing up to a figure behind her. She looked at Amasa confused, who was equally giving her a worried look, and she looked up in the direction Ak was pointing in. "What the?! –" she gasped, seeing a large shadowy spirit hovering over her, swirling around her. Its bright, light glow consumed the top of the rocks with a white glow, the head of the spirit hovering over them as if to protect her from any harm. _

"_We've seen it from afar since we got back," Ak chuckled nervously, trying to keep his voice steady, "b-ut… since a-abbun assumed it was coming from you, he s-ent me to investigate on the situation… a-re you okay?"_

"_Well… I don't feel sick or anything," Zahra looked over at Ak with a slight smile, "it actually feels pretty good… Wow… is this a flying serpent? A dragon perhaps?"_

"… _I don't understand," he shook his head, Zahra standing up and gently grabbing his hands, causing him to look deep into her eyes. _

_His own eyes widened, seeing a bright green glow radiating right from the core of her jade green eyes. Then his fear slowly faded away, realizing by the gentle look in her eyes that Zahra wasn't going to harm him or the people of the village. "Abbi instructed that Teremun and I look deep inside of ourselves and call upon our souls, but I guess I found mine way before Ter Ter." She sighed, letting go of his hands and taking a few steps back. "I-if you're afraid of me you can leave –"_

"_No I won't," he smirked, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her. "No way. Don't say horrible things like you leaving. I won't let you go."_

"_W-wow how malice," Zahra chuckled nervously, but stopped once she noticed the seriousness in his eyes. "… Ummm…" she shook her head, and looked up to the sky, seeing her soul hovering around above them. "… Maybe it's too flashy Ak. I mean, if I use up this much energy just summoning my ka, I'll end up passing out after only two minutes," she thought aloud, letting out a yawn and nuzzling into Ak's shoulder. "I-I'll need to work on that."_

"_Yep," he smirked, gently patting her back, "that's something to work on." Ak looked up to find the spirit disappearing in the sky, lights fluttering down and streaming back into Zahra. "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, letting go of Zahra and rustling into his pocket. She giggled as he tried to find his gift, pulling out a think silver bracelet that was much bigger then her wrist. Her eyes lit up and he smirked, slipping the bracelet on her left wrist and letting her fumble around with it. "I saw the ankh on the front and figured you'd like something as gorgeous as this… I know it's big, but you can always grow into it –"_

"_No Ak," she smiled and kissed him on the cheek, "It's perfect. Thank you."_

"_Y-your welcome," he chuckled nervously, looking away as his cheeks quickly turned red._

_Zahra didn't really notice as she looked at the engravings around the bracelet. It was certainly expensive, that's for sure, and she wondered were exactly the village goes when they raid. A rich man's house? Perhaps the pharaoh? There were all sorts of possibilities, but the fact that Ak gave her something was a sweet gesture. She did love the large silver ankh on the bracelet, light and dark blues and black outlining the rim of the silver jewelry. It was a thick piece of jewelry and she wondered how expensive this was. "Well…" she chuckled, "I'll have to find a place to hide this now."_

"_I'll help you," he smirked and grabbed her hand, Amasa looking up and noticing that the children were going to leave. _

"_Did you get something for your mother?" Zahra asked, starting to feel guilty if she was the only one who got anything._

"_Yeah I got something for everyone! Mother loves her new earrings and Dima loves a necklace I gave her… I just had something extra and father let me give my stuff away," he smiled, "but father also said that this may only be a onetime thing. Everything we steal we give back to the community… it's what keeps our village alive, he says." _

"_That's certainly true," she smirked, "but may I ask where you went?"_

"_That's something that's kept a secret," he pressed his finger to his lips, causing Zahra to giggle at him. Then they began their dissent down the side of the rocks, Amasa walking behind them and making sure Zahra didn't fall. _

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: and yes we have a memory flash at the end ^^ What do you think? I think the last segment was rather cute XD Anyways I hope you enjoyed it. It's a bit of a filler chapter, but still somewhat important for later chapters… Well… SEE YOU LATER!**

Teremun – Egyptian – loved by his father

_abbun_ – Arabic – _father_


	28. The Other Captives

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Well I decided it was about time I post another chapter. Plus there's a bunch of chapters I have to review and I have some time to do one so… yeah! There you go! =D Also, just so you know, my laptop has been a bit screwy so if I disappear at some point you'll know why. Ugh! It's so annoying that my laptop is doing that now DX I just hope the problem will disappear after a while, even though know mentally it won't. Well anyways I hope you enjoy this! =D **

! #$%^&*()

"Hey there you are – Hes you look like crap!" Marcius laughed, Zahra letting out a force laugh before punching him in the shoulder. "Dang what's gotten you so angry?" he huffed, Zahra mumbling under her breath and ordering a beer.

"None of your business," she snorted, drinking the beer straight down and requesting another cup.

"You've been gone for a while," Marcius decided to mention, "so where have you been? We were looking all over –"

"Yeah, well stuff got complicated, but now I'm back," Zahra sighed. "… Where's Bes –"

"Were you last put him," Marcius chuckled.

"Actually I'm right there," came a voice from the stairs, Bes staggering to a bar stool with Kalil beside him, the dog lighting up once he saw Zahra grumbling under her breath. "Say that's up small fry?"

"Tired," she mumbled under her breath, looking over at Bes before sighing deeply. "What did I miss **this** time?"

"The guards are currently looking for you," Bes shrugged, sitting beside her and grabbing a cup of beer. She looked over at him, noticing that he should have been lying in bed for another day or two. "What exactly happened – What's that on your head?"

He reached over for the mark under her hair, Zahra pushing his hand away and looking towards the wall. "I don't want to talk about it –"

"Whatever that pharaoh is doing is making my blood boil," Bes sneered, noticing a fading bruise on her face. "If they're hurting you –"

"Can we change the topic?" Zahra snorted, about to stand up.

"**No**," Bes narrowed his eyes and grabbed Zahra's hand, pulling her back down so she was sitting back down on the stool. "… I'm going to have to tell you more about the Tariqis," he began.

"Fine," Zahra sighed, "but not here –"

"There's more you're going to need to know… they aren't normal Ranpu," he continued, Zahra raising an eyebrow when he let out a tired sigh. "What they do isn't human… and what they're able to **do** isn't normal… I believe they have a monster on their side."

"What? A ghost?" Zahra snorted.

He smirked, "Nope. A goddess."

"Goddess…" she thought aloud, looking over at Kalil before narrowing her eyes at the man, "but how can you know that –"

"I saw her," Bes snarled under his breath, "and she… burned my back." She watched as he placed a hand on his shoulder, scratching a piece of exposed burnt flesh before continuing. "I think she's a fire goddess… an Egyptian goddess too. The only one who's able to communicate with her is their leader… that's all I know."

"Great," she grumbled under her breath, "competition… I wonder how Ihab could have her under his control… perhaps she's just playing a game… maybe she's bound to him in some manner… Bes show me to this man we have captured."

"Sure," he shrugged, standing up and walking out of the back of the tavern. They walked through the empty streets till they came upon a house on the edge of town, Zahra holding the door for Bes as he stumbled inside. "Here he is," Bes exclaimed, Zahra stepping into the light to examine the man.

He had been battered and bruised, probably tortured already by Marcius for information. Now it was her turn and if he didn't prove useful… well he won't be around any time longer. "So you work for Ihab," Zahra began, her arms crossed over her chest, "… why?"

"I'll never tell a bitch like you – AH!" he cried out, Kalil clamping down on his leg and threatening to rip apart his tendons.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" she continued calmly, walking up to the man and staring deep into his eyes. Then his eyes turned wide, seeing a faint glow of green coming from her jaded green eyes. "… Serapis right? Oh you're very loyal to the man, I can tell," she chuckled lowly, suddenly narrowing her eyes and grabbing hold of the collar of his shirt. "If you don't want to die I suggest you start talking. I'm not very patient when it comes to incompetent men –"

"Hah!" the man laughed, causing Bes to snarl, "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Too bad for you I don't cooperate with thugs and thieves like you!"

She smirked, roughly letting go of his collar and causing the chair he was tied upon to stumble backward. "Good, I hate it when it's too easy," she chuckled, Kalil letting go of Serapis' leg and sitting down beside Zahra's leg. Bes grabbed hold of a chair in the corner and sat down, both keeping a watch on the door and seeing what Zahra will do. Then his eyes widened, seeing Zahra grab hold of the man's chest. Serapis gasped in horror, letting out a cry as she gripped her hands to his chest and began to twist, smirking widely as she felt his heart beating faster and faster.

"BITCH WHAT ARE YOU – OH **GODS**, AAAAAGHHH!" he screamed, blood flowing out from the man's chest. Kalil let out a low whimper, quickly noticing her eyes starting to glow red. "GO TO SHARUNA! IHAB IS GOING TO SHARU – AAAAAAAHHH!"

"Ranpu that's enough," Bes said, noticing Zahra's hand dug deeper into the man's chest. "Ranpu?... Ranpu?! –"

Bes halted; watching as Kalil slammed his head into Zahra's leg and then nipped her hand. "HEY WHAT THE –" She stopped, blinking in confusion and groaning as she ripped her hand away from his chest. She shook her head and frowned, noticing her nail marks digging through his chest. "… Sharuna you say?" she answered darkly.

"Y-yes," Serapis shuddered, unable to keep eye contact with the woman, "h-e's heading south –"

"How can I trust you?" she asked, then a smirk coming to her face as he turned away. "_That's right~_" Zahra chuckled and grabbed his chin, forcing him to stare deep into her dark eyes, "it's because you _fear~~_ me… **bitch**."

His eyes widened as Zahra took out a knife from under her dress, trying to move away as he saw a dark glow suddenly radiating from her hands and heating up the knife. "W-what are you doing –"

"I can't have you going around telling people of this," she huffed, the handle of the knife burning red with intense heat, "or… maybe I will." Zahra chuckled lowly, sending a chill to everyone's spine, "I haven't decided yet."

"Oh by the love of Osiris, spare me –"

"You have no wife, children, or living relatives to speak of. There's no reason for you to live," she spoke darkly, "so I suggest you say your prayers now."

"Oh gods –"

Serapis hissed in pain, letting out a drowning cry into the night as the markings on the end of her knife dug into his chest, burning deep into his skin. Bes' eyes widened and Kalil took a step away, seeing the anger evident in her eyes as she pressed the handle as far as it would go. "You bastards took away my friends, my clan. You're not going to get away without a little pain first, _**little palace bitch**_." Serapis twitched and tried to rip through the ropes, causing burns to rub into his skin. Then she roughly pulled the handle away, ripping out healing flesh and causing the man to let out a pain filled cry again. "Bes," she began darkly to the man sitting in the corner, "tell Marcius I am heading south into Sharuna tonight, and if he doesn't leave the town by morning… well I'll just say he'll have a sticky situation with the guards." Looking at the man Zahra noticed Serapis had passed out, an eerie smirk coming to her face as Bes watched while she untied his wrists, dragged him to one of the walls, and tied his wrists up so his new wound was more visible from afar. Once he was tied up again, his ankles bound by ropes and his wrists tied to the wall, she dug the blade of her knife deep into his chest. He cried out, but could only whimper, Zahra pulling the blade out and slowly licking the blood off of the blade. Then she slipped the knife back into its holster and she sighed, pulling her black cloak tighter around her face and making sure her hood covered her face from view. "He'll wake up in the morning," Zahra told Bes, slowly walking past him and stopping at the door, "and don't worry… his wounds aren't fatal."

Bes simply watched as Zahra left the house, Kalil walking obediently behind her. Then he shuddered, looking over at the man one last time before stumbling out of the house. Bes looked around to find that Zahra and the dog had disappeared, deciding it would be best to tell Marcius the news. "That woman," he shook his head, unable to hold back another shudder, "I don't even know how Daleel can put up with you." He sighed and slipped though a corner, walking down the main street of the town towards the tavern door.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra stared down at a sea of people walking about in the streets of Sharuna. She closed her eyes, feeling the presence she was looking for, a lone creature roaming the city looking for her. Though the creature had run out of time, Zahra looking up to see the sun going down over the horizon. Only half an hour more and the place will be covered by the darkness, the perfect time for a thief to roam the streets alone. "Perfect timing," she chuckled lightly, jumping down from the roof and hiding among the shadows. Then a movement startled her, a group of soldiers running through the streets in synced formation. "What the –" she growled under her breath, staying as silent as she could as she found a crate, grabbed hold of a window ceil, and climbed back up onto the roof.

"Sir the movement was here –"

"I can feel a dark presence here," the priest said, looking up where Zahra had vanished.

"But Master Mahado," the man next to him sighed, "there's so many thugs roaming this area of the city. How can you tell if it's the woman –"

"Don't test me simpleton," Mahado answered him, continuing to look up where Zahra hid. "… Send eight guards to the roof."

"Sir –"

"If you expect me to help you, then do as I say," he grumbled lowly, the man sighing and telling the guards next to them to check the roof.

"That bastard," Zahra mumbled under her breath, shifting to the middle of the roof and looked around. "He must have known about the guards… damn I haven't even found them yet."

"_But I've found you~_" a dark womanly voice answered behind her, Zahra unable to snap her head around in time as she was thrown off of the roof and slammed into a building a block away. Zahra shook her head before the woman jumped from the roof and glided over to her, avoiding a flaming punch just in time to save her face. The woman giggled and surrounded her with fists of fire, Zahra avoiding them before she found an opening. Using all the strength she could muster Zahra punched the woman in the gut, sending her flying across into the other side of the building. "Feisty aren't we?" the woman smirked, wiping a cut on her face and slowly walking over to her.

Zahra stood up, brushing the dust from her cloths and standing with her fists held. "No kidding, you mutt," she huffed, the other woman's smile fading from her face as Zahra's began to appear. "What? Can't give me a warning next time because you're _so~~_ high and mighty? **Bitch**."

"Shut up Skia Diana, or should I say little _Queen of Thieves~_?" the woman smirked, Zahra rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"What a bunch of pig dung," Zahra snarled and crossed her arms over her chest, "I mean are you people so derived of any females not whoring themselves to survive that you call me some queen? It's the most ridiculous piece of hes I've ever heard!"

"Woh girl –"

"And you know what," Zahra huffed and took a step forward, pointing her finger at the other woman, "I doubt you have any sort of honor or virtue in that burned up body of yours. What? Did you nek with some guy and he left you? Or better yet, did you have a child and they died? What makes a very powerful woman side with some bastard? I don't see it. Maybe a man, but _you~~_…"

"You don't know anything about me girl," the woman growled, "I'm older then you will ever be –"

"But yet you think you know **me**?" she smirked. "Know my movements from the moment I walked into town? I had a suspicion this was all a trap and I'm right, **but**… I know where your precious little master is," Zahra chuckled darkly, glaring at her from behind her hood, "and if you don't get out of my way he's going to burn in the gates of the underworld."

"Oh like I care," the woman huffed.

Zahra grinned, "You don't like him?"

"Well…" the woman sighed and ran a hand through her long curly hair, "it's not like that. He's just…"

"Did he summon you or something?" Zahra decided to ask, the woman nodding. "… What's your name?"

"Asbit –"

"Well you gave me all I needed," Zahra chuckled lowly, Asbit looking up in surprise to see a dark portal forming behind the other woman's body, "I'll see you on the other _side~~_" Laughing darkly the thief jumped through the portal, Asbit trying to chase after her and ending up almost running into the wall.

She growled, noticing the guards coming and disappearing into the alley way. "Damn that woman," she hissed, the guards running to the alley and finding that no one was there.

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra sighed, jumping through a shaft up in the roof and fell down into a building, stepping down as silently as a cat and tiptoeing through the darkness. It's not like she's a coward and wouldn't mind fighting with the woman, but Zahra was still healing and couldn't place herself into danger, yet. Besides she had some research to do, finding a dark room and disappearing inside before one of the guards passed through. She searched through the noble's house till she found a bunch of books, knowing that nobles and royalty loved to collect books and scrolls they may never get around to reading. It took her a while to find what she was looking for, using the moonlight to read the titles of books and open the scrolls to see its contents. Once she found the correct book Zahra quickly made her way out of the building, no one even noticing she had set foot in the house.

In the meantime Marcius had made his way into the city, looking for the familiar dog and his companion. He left all that were injured back in the other town, only a few men with him to keep him company since they weren't trying to draw attention to themselves. Coming across Kalil sitting in an alleyway outside of a tavern he smirked, looking inside to find that Zahra wasn't there. "You two, go search around the city for –"

"That won't be necessary," he heard an eerie voice in his ear, Marcius quickly turning around to find Zahra grinning at him and stepping out of the shadows. "You have to be quieter. There's more than one enemy roaming these streets and we're close to losing our heads," she huffed, Marcius letting the others wander into the tavern as they walked deep into the alley.

"What did you find out –"

"Nothing yet," Zahra said, taking out a book and looking at the cover, "but the Tariqis are running the streets along with the pharaoh's guards, though they don't seem to have a clue what's going on." She chuckled darkly, gently rubbing Kalil's head. "Now I know the name of the goddess that works for Ihab," she continued, "and her name is Asbit."

"As… bit…" Marcius thought to himself, giving her a nod. "Good job. What's the plan now?"

"Well," she sighed, "keep yourselves hidden. The guards are looking for me and there's a priest among them that can spot me from a short distance." Zahra grumbled under her breath, placing the book back into her bag. "I'll spend the night in the desert and meet you in the tavern before the sun rises. Find out whatever you can about the Tariqis in my absence… and of course stay out of trouble," she chuckled lightly.

Marcius smirked, "I'll do the best I can," he laughed aloud. "Do you want me to document your visit –"

"No, it's too dangerous for that," she snarled, "I have a feeling we can't trust some of the people in this city. Besides, if Daleel needs to know where I am he will find you first. Just… you know… keep track of me."

"It's hard when you're always running about," he sighed, "but I understand… look Ranpu –"

"If you're going to say that I need help forget it," she huffed, "I don't. Honestly I don't see why Daleel called you guys here, but I guess I can use you for something."

"Fine," Marcius rolled his eyes, "I'll see to it that you get the information you asked for."

"Good," Zahra responded, turning her back on him and walking down the alley way. She turned a corner and disappeared, the dog disappearing along with her. Then she stole a horse from a nearby post, Kalil running alongside her as they left the edge of the city and galloped into the arid desert.

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra took out some food and sighed, splitting what she had with Kalil as they sat within a cave hidden in the rocks a mile or two away from the city. Once they had their fill Zahra fed the horse, knowing she'll have to use the horse to get back into Sharuna. "I wish we could have a fire, but it seems the gods are against us tonight," she chuckled darkly, grabbing her water skin and drinking down the liquid. Then she sighed, sitting back down and looking out of the cave to the sands beyond. "… Do you think I should believe ghosts?" she decided to ask, Kalil lifting his head and looking at Zahra confused, "I mean… if something says they know you and need your help, should you do it?"

"I think so," he barked, "depending on the soul, I suppose. Father told me every soul is different… he learned that from you, and if you believe that this soul is good and trustworthy it's probably in your best intuition to hear what the spirit has to say. Who knows? Perhaps you'll find its request intriguing."

She smiled, running a hand through the dog's head. "Thanks Kalil," she woofed back, "I'm glad I allowed you to come with me." He licked her hand before she stood up, looking where the city lied and then over at the desert. "… Go ahead and sleep. I have some things I need to work out." He let out a woof before tucking his head into his paws and letting out a yawn, the horse neighing in reply as Zahra patted it on the neck before climbing up to the top of the rocks.

Zahra sat at the top of the rocks, looking up to the sky, and wondered where her life was going. It seemed that the closer she got to obtaining memories the more questions arise from those dreams. Whenever she had time to sleep she ended up dreaming a hidden memory in her mind. It was different than before, which was her sleeping through nightmares and waking up to wonder if they were real or not. This time they were unusual, memories on top of memories that all seemed to be linked in some way. From what she was seeing, they were all linked to one man, the man that said to be her father and looked exactly like the ghost that has been appearing to her, Seker. The thing was, are these dreams true or not? Was he sneaking ideas into her mind or was something unlocked in the contacts of her soul that's letting her see her past? The thoughts were draining and she should have her mind on her current situation, but everything seemed to lead back to the spirits, lead back to the Millennium key and the god that appeared to her.

Deciding she had to think of something else Zahra opened the book she had stolen, looking through its contents and hoping Asbit's name would come up. "Spirits… elementals… women… the goddess of fire, Asbit," she read aloud, her eyes darting through the short pages that mentioned about her. According to the book, Asbit was the goddess of fire and a patroness of a small village in Egypt. She didn't hold esteem and the village she came from was something that wasn't on the maps, but that didn't mean it wasn't there somewhere. Could Ihab be associated with that village?... No… it didn't seem like it. The look in Asbit's eyes told Zahra everything, she was fearful in giving her too much information. She had, and the man she worked for would make her pay, but what connection did he have to her? Zahra sighed and took out the knife hidden under her dress, running her fingers through the engravings and closing her eyes in thought. Asbit wasn't just a goddess, she was a human too. She could tell just by looking at her, they were alike in that sense. Another thing that was similar, Asbit was dead. It was her soul taking form before her, not a physical body. Yet even if Zahra was dead, her body was truly flesh and bone. Asbit's was not. That was the difference. Asbit was summoned by Ihab to do his bidding, and that was why the woman wasn't in the life beyond.

She frowned. She knew how this was possible. If a child of a god is born to a village and the village ensures the child's safety, then the child is indebted to that village. Every child has various powers they obtain from their parents and they were given a purpose for being born in the first place. Usually, if the child lives well into their adult life, they are given a symbol that binds them to the village, which other children in that village can also obtain. For Zahra it was her dagger, a knife that bound her to the village. Even if the child dies the item will still be in this world, connecting them from the afterlife into the life of the living. Sadly Zahra knew she may end up coming back from the grave, and by the looks of the situation that's what happened to the goddess. Now for her next plan, finding out what bound Asbit to this world. Ihab has a hold on her in some way. Patrons were bound to their village as long as the people of the village were alive, but in Asbit's case she must have been a child of her village, not a patroness. Zahra gripped the knife tightly, pressing her finger to the engravings. No matter how hard she tried no one could tell her where this dagger came from. The engravings had an authenticity that was combined between Egyptian and other desert cultures. The dagger itself is an advanced model from a tribe that was almost gone. Even so there were so many different combinations of different groups that she couldn't trace where the dagger came from and no one she asked could help her. It was interesting, sure, but that didn't help her in finding where she came from. Perhaps she was the only one? Zahra didn't know… and she hoped that wasn't the case.

She set the dagger by her side, looking down at the jackal necklace hanging under her dress. She pulled it out and looked at it more in depth, wondering if it was just a necklace or a powerful item she got her hands on. For Zahra it was for it held the remains of the souls that she pulled out of the shadow realm to escape the shadow creature, Zorc. Sure she had placed them back into the shadow realm, but she had a feeling the reason why the lost souls were able to find her so easily now was through this necklace. Zahra couldn't tell if this was a good thing or a bad thing, but she hoped those souls will somehow be able to leave the darkness and go into the realm of light. After all most of them were very pure, and if she hadn't known any better she would have believed the spirit that talked to her at the start… but she was skeptical. Zahra still couldn't trust the spirit; she sighed and placed a hand on her head where the stitches were, even if the spirit went out of his way to stitch her wound so she didn't have to do so herself. "About time you'd show up," Zahra sighed, looking up to see a shadow hovering beside her. "What?" she smirked, "You're not going to show me your human form?"

"I can't help but notice your situation," the spirit smirked, mesmerizing into the form of Seker, "and if you need help –"

"Thanks, but that's not why I'm out here," she sighed and set the book down, looking down at the knife and pressing her fingers along the engravings. He looked down with curiosity, noticing the pain forming in her eyes. "… If you know about me so much, then where do I come from? Where's my village?" she asked, her eyes continuing to look at the knife.

"That," he sighed, knowing exactly what her reaction will be, "is something I cannot say –"

"Of course not!" she snorted, "No one can! Why couldn't Amasa tell me? You can't? I'm starting to think everyone is keeping me in the dark about something –"

"It's more complicated than that," he shook his head, sitting down beside her and looking out to the sky. "… We paid a horrible price to bring you back," Seker sighed, "… your memories. We… no one can tell you what your memories are. Only venturing in this realm of the living can you find the memories you are looking for… but it's different if you remember your past." He chuckled lightly, beginning to play around with his loose ponytail. "If you've had a dream about us… well it's the only way we can speak to you. I realize this can be shocking. Having your memories locked away by the gods –"

"Is a despicable thing," Zahra snarled under her breath. "If you really were my father you wouldn't let this happen –"

"But I had to –"

"Then why bring me back?!" she yelled at him, taking an inch closer to him and gritted her teeth. "Please… there has to be a reason why I'm here… p-pleeease…"

"… You **know** what that is," he merely answered, looking off towards there the city lie, "you ran away from your path for years… or did you think it was the right thing to do, to leave everything you knew and hope one day the voices would simply stop. Silly child." Seker chuckled lowly, his chocolate eyes growing grim, "You know better. It's our energy that keeps you here… our cries and echoes keeping you from inner piece. You know this, we know this, but yet you run away? –"

"You can't expect someone, who has no memory of who they are or who you are, to simply follow your orders like a slave," she mumbled under her breath.

"Slave, you? My gods, what have they been telling you?!" Seker smirked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Childish little bin'nt. You simply don't understand who you are –"

"I never can!" Zahra suddenly yelled, quickly biting down on her bottom lip and looked away, "B-because… because no one will tell me **what** I am. I'm just a monster."

The spirit sighed and shook his head, suddenly standing up and taking a few steps towards the direction she looked towards. "That's what the villagers used to say, before they got to know you," Seker told her, Zahra's eyes widening before they grew tear-filled and fearful. "It took the minds of _children_ to accept you… and by one child's actions you were able to be accepted into the village. You would have never accomplished anything as a thief if there wasn't a young man there to see who you really are… and I think you know who that boy was."

"… You're trying to tell me that the white haired boy is the one who first met me?" Zahra asked and looked up, Seker giving her a nod. Then she simply shook her head, standing up and running a hand through her hair. "Even so there's no point. Everyone's dead, aren't they?"

"That may be the only logical explanation, but yet you wish there's someone out there, who knows," Seker responded, "and that man… he will know everything about your background, even memories you won't come across for ages to come."

"I just… can't do this," Zahra sighed and sulked down to her knees, looking down at the ground and letting out a tired pout. "_Kill the pharaoh~ Destroy the items~~_… I just… don't see the point," she sighed. "Even if the pharaoh is truly evil, there are more evil men out there in the world. I've come across them," she explained, "and you simply can't eradicate all the evils in the world… I promised my siblings I will not kill the high priests and the pharaoh. When I started losing control Seto made me promise to them… and I never go back on a promise." Zahra looked up at him, a glare in her eyes. "I am sorry, but I try to keep my killings to a minimum… and keep control of my emotions. Your demands simply aren't what I can do. I am sorry."

"… Perhaps what you hear is a bit harsh," Seker chuckled and sat down beside her, his eyes locking with her own. "You're right, the pharaoh isn't the only bad person in the world and he's certainly not the worst… The only way to free our souls is for the Millennium items to be destroyed. The reason why the gods want your help is because you're the only one who can successfully destroy them, and they seek revenge against the pharaoh and his royal court." He couldn't help but sigh, scratching the back of his head before playing around with the braid on the left side of his face. "It is like that king you came across, Karbukef being his name. You have a power to shine a light on lost souls and guide them into the light of the afterlife… it was what you were born to do." He grinned at her, "You sacrificed yourself for the souls of those villagers. You can do the same here. You don't have to kill if you wish… but if the main objective is met the souls will be happy. Maybe not the gods, but we will be able to move on."

"… And how do you expect me to accomplish that?" she huffed.

He smirked, "Touch the rest of the Millennium items and remember the rest of your memories. You will see with your own eyes the reason why we wish for the demise of the pharaoh… and why our village disappeared from existence." He gently placed a hand upon the blade of the knife, Zahra gasping as she felt a jolt of energy run past her arm and throughout her whole body. The handle of the blade glowed, the engraving on the top of the hilt glowing an intense white gleam. "… There isn't much time," he suddenly said, looking off towards the horizon, "so I will be brief. Anubis' goal for you is to become a full-fledged priestess, as your family has done for generations. Our goal is for the items to be destroyed. Yours is to find your memories… and defeat that fire goddess and that man who controls her." Seker stood up, Zahra gripping her knife tightly as he continued. "You are a wise woman, so I will give everything to you simply. Anubis will be mad if you deny your priestly class, but you can. You have a choice, but before you decide I want you to speak with someone –"

"And who will that be?" Zahra sighed, standing up and staring at him with hardened eyes.

He smirked, placing a finger on the blade of the dagger and pointing to the image of a half-man, half-serpent engraving. "Go south to the town of Ra-To. There will be a creature wandering the desert surrounding the town once the moon disappears from the sky till the moon is half full. Its name is Diabound," Seker said.

"Diabound," Zahra nodded, feeling as if she heard of the name before.

"Unlike us he can tell you some of the information you seek, but he is bound to another. Pull Diabound away for a few moments while his keeper is preoccupied and ask him what you need. He can tell you many things, but not everything," Seker explained. "Now remember, go to Ra-To to find the creature –"

"South to Ra-To, find diabound; got it," Zahra smiled, watching as the spirit began to disappear because of the sunrise.

"Recall everything you can before the encounter," Seker continued, "he _doesn't like~_ dumb _people~~_…"

Zahra watched as the spirit disappeared in the rays of the sun, letting out a tired sigh as she jumped down from the rocks to the horse that lay hidden in the cavern. "Kalil it's time," she instructed, the dog quickly waking up and letting out a bark. "I will save those in this city before leaving to find a creature that's supposed to tell me where I come from… will you stay with me?"

"Till I am burned in the flames of the netherworld," Kalil answered, a smirk lying on Zahra's lips as she jumped onto the horse and let out a _**'YIAH!'**_, sending the horse galloping towards the city.

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: Finally I'm done reviewing! Took me forever to do so ^^' Anyways I hope you like it so far. Yes, now Diabound will show up. Woot! I always liked him XD Especially after writing about in the next two chapters. Well I guess that's it. Almost Thanksgiving week, so I have a lot of things to do, sadly. That's why it took me forever to post this. I have a bunch of things to do before tomorrow. AGH! DX**

Asbit – Egyptian – goddess of fire


	29. The Latest Sneak

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Meh. I'm bored again. So I'm reviewing another chapter… okay I'm not really bored. I should be studying or doing something else useful right now, but I don't want to. So here's another chapter XD and now for a bunch of random places and names that I don't even know if they existed ^^' but whatever. At least it works. ENJOY!**

! #$%^&*()

"We captured two of the ring leaders, but Ihab is nowhere to be found," Marcius mumbled under his breath, Zahra giving him a nod as she jumped through the roof and landed on the third level of the complex.

"Good," Zahra huffed, "I figured he'd be gone by then –"

"But before we could interrogate the leaders they committed suicide," he shrugged, "but one of them blurted as he was tortured that the Tariqis are headed towards Teudjoi."

"At least we got some information," she sighed and shook her head, mumbling under her breath about how incompetent the man was. "… You know they're just sending us to a trap –"

"Yeah I know," Marcius chuckled, "but the unsuspecting thing to do would be to continue following them –"

"But not in large numbers like we've been doing," Zahra smirked. "They're playing a game with us, I can tell, but if they won't play fair then we won't either. Send only four to six men into the town as informants. Everyone else will go to the neighboring village called Imu," she told him. "Now I have some business to attend to, so I'll split up from you when we get into Cechous. I'll meet you… say… a week after in Imu… I suppose," she sighed and flipped her hair, noticing a bedroom and walking inside.

He watched as she went through the drawers, smirking when she came upon a small box full of various types of jewelry. "May I ask why –"

"Business," Zahra huffed, "and I want to see if I can find out more about the Tariqis and Ihab. They're sending us on a wild goose chase and I want to find Vitus and Aurelia soon. Even if it's just their bodies I want to find out what happened to them… they could prove useful if found alive," she explained.

"I see," Marcius nodded, "you're looking for clues… well just don't get captured and we'll see you soon."

"Yes we shall," Zahra smirked, slipping the jewelry into her bag and setting the empty box on the counter.

"Oh and by the way, don't take too long," Marcius chuckled, "there's a delivery coming here by order of Daleel and some of its contents are for you."

"Is it now?" she snorted, "Well he better deliver some herbs. I have to remake my medicine again."

"Ran out?" Marcius shook his head and sighed, "Understandable. You go through those things like it's a mug of beer, which I should say I wouldn't mind having right now."

"You can go do that," Zahra smirked and grabbed a large bag from under the bed, looking inside to find a bunch of gold and silver hidden inside, "but I'm going to take off once the sun rises."

"Suit yourself," Marcius answered, grabbing a handful of the gold and slipping it into his pocket, "now let's get going. I think I can hear the guards coming inside."

"Fine," she huffed and swung the bag over her shoulder, "but they're not going to like the surprise we have for them."

"**I** don't really like it," he shuddered as they jumped out the window and landed on their feet, "I mean gutting people? Why do you always have to do **that**?"

Zahra smirked, jumping onto a horse they had left by an exit and gave him a wink, "Because they are my enemies and I'm just sending a message that I'm here and planning on staying. Now let's go. I can hear the priest around the corner." Marcius jumped onto his own horse and took off, yelling being heard from behind them as they galloped into the desert.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

A woman pulled her black hood closer to her face, tucking a stray black hair behind her ear as the horse she rode on trotted into the town. At first glance Zahra could tell this town was full of bandits and thieves, a town barely touched by the pharaoh and his men as they laid on the edge of the kingdom. There was a slight frown on her face when she noticed that most of the women were in the streets, trying to woo the men into their houses for a one-night stand. Still there's always someone who has been in town for years without resorting to such defiantly, and Zahra intended to find that person before the day was gone. Jumping off of her horse she tied it up to a post, whispering into its ear that if someone steals him she'll be alright. Then Zahra slipped her hands into the folds of her black belt, avoiding eye contact and walking right into a building towards the end of a merchant district. Noticing a man she raised an eyebrow, the man looking up from his work to start smiling widely at her through crooked teeth. "Should have known your 'ike would be here," he snickered through his teeth, Zahra rolling her eyes and walking right up to his counter.

"I'm not in the mood for games Ngozi," Zahra huffed, then a smirk showed up on her face, "though I'm intrigued to find you here in a scum filled desert like here. I thought you would be traveling down the Silk Road by now."

"Got a little… side tracked," he snickered, Zahra looking over at Ngozi's gaze to see a woman behind a stand selling jewelry.

Zahra smirked, knowing exactly what he meant before looking back over at him with hard eyes. "Whatever your reasons are I simply don't care," she snorted, though Ngozi knew she was interested in knowing how he found that woman, "but I need some information."

"Of course you do," he huffed and grabbed something from behind his stand, handing her a key with a random number on it, "but we're not speaking here. Meet us in the tavern called The Horse's Mane tonight. Go to this room and don't expect a warm welcome. We don't think kindly of strangers here," he smirked, Zahra rolling his eyes and snatching the key from his hand.

"That's why I love this job," she sighed, walking right out of the building and back into the streets. Seeing that her horse lay untouched she untied the reins and rode off, glaring at the men that gave her stares and hoped no one would follow her.

)(*&^%$# !

For the rest of the day Zahra spent her time in the shade of the rocks located far from the town, but not too far so she could see it from afar and watch what was going on. Sadly Ra-To only looked to be a meeting place for thieves, no activities from the Tariqis coming under her radar as she waited for the night to fall. She did notice something; the town became more alive with commotion once Zahra had left. A few men rode off to find her, but instead of looking at the cliffs where she was staying they rode off to the nearest villages and towns nearby. She could tell they were looking for her; she overheard their conversation as she sat in a cave on the side of the cliff and the ground above her. They were looking for a girl with dark black hair, green eyes, and a black cloak… but why was another mystery. It wasn't because of her arrival, but according to two of the men they would be rich if they could find the mystical woman with long black hair, green eyes, a black cloak, and white clothes. She'll have to change her clothes or else she'll be caught, probably forced to do things she would never like to do, and sent in a beat-up package to the pharaoh. If that happened the Tariqis would get a hold of her… and she may never be heard of again. Since it was only her and the horse she thought quickly. After all she had Kalil with Marcius to keep him busy and she was on a business trip of her own. She couldn't be moved away from her goal, she had to talk to this diabound creature. The horse snorted confused as she slipped off her cloak and kicked off her shoes, patting the horse's neck to comfort him as she took off her dress. "Don't be surprised. I just can't afford to get caught right now," Zahra huffed, grabbing her knife from her holster and got to work.

She cut her black cloak into a dress, cutting the dirty and ripped ends off as she wrapped the rest of the cloth around her body. She went with a style that was familiar in Egypt but something she had done many times before, wrapping the cloth around her breasts and slipping only one strap on her shoulder. She cut the white cloth into a long strip, wrapping it around her waist as she did with her black cloth and tying the ends tight. Then she put her shoes back on, slipping the black cloth she had around her waist over her hair and tying it so it hide her face. "There," Zahra smirked happily, "but I think I'll need something else…" The horse snorted in surprise as a portal into the shadow realm revealed itself against the wall of the cave, Zahra humming to herself as a large set of drawers and chests appeared. She pulled out the second to the bottom drawer and revealed a drawer full of jewels, Zahra only taking out a few and setting them aside. "Hey I'm a thief," she shrugged at the horse, "what can I say?" Snickering to herself she closed the drawers and sent everything back into the shadow realm, the portal disappearing as she slipped on the extra jewelry.

"Wow, I always knew my girl would be beautiful, but not to this extent," a voice came from behind, Zahra slipping a silver band on her wrist and giving him a smirk.

"Thanks Seker," she chuckled lowly, "but trust me, I'm not that beautiful –"

"No you are," he shook his head, giving her a worried look, "but won't this attract too much attention –"

"Only as much as I want," Zahra huffed, "and besides this is a side trip. If this diabound creature won't show up to me in a day or two I'll be gone."

"I'll keep that in mind," he nodded, his soul fading away into the shadows till all that remained was the horse and the young woman.

She sighed as she noticed the sun going down, patting the horse on the nose and giving him a tired smile. "We'll leave as soon as the sun goes down," she told him, "and I think I'll let you go so you're not used by these thieves." The horse snorted and Zahra smirked, slipping the remains of the cloth into her bag and threw the bag over her shoulder.

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra chuckled under her breath, her new outfit getting the response she wanted. The men were looking far too much at her body to notice her face, but hey there were far prettier women walking the streets that night then just her. If a man got too close she simply pushed him into one of the whores walking by, smirking under her hood as she slipped into the tavern Ngozi described. As a woman on a mission she slipped past the drunken men into the back of the tavern without being seen, using the key he gave her to open a room and lock it behind her. Then she heard laughter, Ngozi snickering at her as she grumbled under her breath and slipped the veil from her face. "My gods what's this invite?! From the Skia no less!" he laughed, Zahra shaking her head and throwing her bag close to a chair and sitting down on the other side of the table from Ngozi.

"I know the men are looking for me," Zahra huffed, Ngozi's laughter fading away as he slipped a drink of beer into his mouth, "and there's a warrant proclaimed by the pharaoh now, but sadly I have more important matters then confronting a simple king."

"There must be a reason you're here," Ngozi commented, looking at Zahra sternly, "so… what is it this time?"

"Did you hear –"

"That our organization is in jeopardy here because of a group of tax collectors? Yes I do," he smirked, "but they haven't found me yet. Are you hear for that reason –"

"Are they around here –"

"They vanished from this town ages ago," he sighed, sitting back in his chair and looking up to the ceiling, "so I do not know of them. Is that your only reason?" Ngozi smiled, noticing Zahra sighing and looking to the floor.

"Actually no," she huffed, "I'm looking for my past –"

"And you think it's here?" he raised an eyebrow, Zahra shaking her head and slipping her arms onto the table.

"It's a bit more complicated… I'm looking for a certain creature –"

"Oh I see," Ngozi nodded, looking up to see a woman walk into the room and let out a startled gasp. "It's alright Safiya," he chuckled, Zahra narrowing her eyes at him as he continued, "she's only here on business. Which reminds me you have to sign in," he remembered, placing a scroll on the table and a bottle of ink of her to use.

Zahra slipped the knife from under her dress and inked the top of the handle, making her mark on the scroll and letting it sit so the ink would dry. She looked over the woman, who was staring at her shyly and walked over to give her a cup of beer. "Uhh, no thank you," Zahra shook her head, understanding Safiya had gotten the drink for herself and not for this new woman in the room. The woman was beautiful, more beautiful then Zahra thought of herself. She wore a lengthy white dress with blue accents, wearing a few touches of blue jewelry to accent her blue eyes and black hair.

Safiya also looked upon the woman with curiosity, noticing the black dress on her body and the veil on the ground. Her dress was shorter then what Zahra usually wore, cut just below the knee with a slit on the side of her left leg. The silver jewelry she wore Safiya mistake for being fakes, but Zahra was actually wearing authentic silver jewelry she had stolen or received throughout the years. She never collected flashy gems and didn't like to flaunt her wealth, so if she kept something it meant she had some value towards the object or she liked how it looked. Zahra wore the snake bangles she had gotten a month or more ago; thin, loose silver bangles on her ankles to show off her legs. The only thing on her body that looked to have value would be the jackal necklace on her neck; Safiya staring at Zahra's necklace with greed till the woman snapped her out of her thoughts and suddenly stood up. "If this is a bad time –"

"No, no sit!" Ngozi insisted, Zahra eyeing him suspiciously and slowly sitting back down in the chair, "actually I may be able to help you, but you have to promise me something first."

"What?" she sighed, Ngozi looking over at Safiya before narrowing his eyes at Zahra. "We… we have a problem. Only a few days ago our children were taken from us. A two girls, black hair and blue eyes like their mother," he smiled at the thought, Safiya's eyes going wide at what Ngozi just revealed. "If you promise to go find the kidnappers that took them I'll be forever in your debt –"

"There's something else I must do –"

"It's better than hoping for a miracle," he smiled to her, "and I need your help."

"… Do you know of a creature named diabound –"

"Diabound?!" Safiya gasped, Ngozi blinking in confusion before telling his wife to stay quiet.

"Why –"

"Apparently he can help me find my childhood village," Zahra tried to explain, "and I was told to search here. I only have a few more days to gather information from him, but if you know what he is I'll help you find your children –"

"That creature, I hear, is used by the King of Thieves," Ngozi told her, Zahra narrowing her eyes in realization. "I only saw the creature once… but I will warn you to not trifle with that man –"

"I only need to talk to the creature," Zahra snorted. "Now where is he –"

"Bakura plans on staying in this town for a few more days, though I don't know why," Ngozi continued. "He moves from place to place around here so you'll have to listen to those on the streets. If you seek this creature, this diabound, go find the king first."

"Okay," Zahra sighed, sitting back in her chair and contemplating on her new problem. "… Now these children," she decided to ask, "what are their names and do you know exactly what has happened to them?"

"Salidji and Nuru," Ngozi told her, "and the eldest, Salidji, is about nine years of age. There was a group of slave traders that came by the town and I'm assuming they got kidnapped during their stay."

"Do you know where they went?" Zahra decided to ask.

Ngozi simply sighed. "I believe they were heading south, but according to their conversation they will be heading back north towards the Mediterranean Sea in… another week or two. Three tops."

"Okay," Zahra nodded and stood up, "I'll do what I can –"

"Even if you can't, can you find someone who will?" Ngozi stared at her with a pleading look in his eyes. "I'm not asking for a lot, but even if I'm not the biological father I feel responsible for their disappearance. I promised them that if they went missing I would search the ends of the earth to find them… and if my suspicions are correct the traders plan on sending them by boat to Greece," he explained. "That's right where Daleel lives and currently he owes me a debt."

She smirked at his words, "Well as I said I will do what I can, but I have to keep my attention on the Tariqis till they have disappeared from existence. Now if you write me up a list of your demands and the amount you will pay if they are found, I will bring it to the men when I meet up with them and Daleel will be one of the first to hear about it."

"Thank you!" Ngozi stood up, rushing towards a desk with loose papers on top looking for a clean one to use. "Ummm… Safiya, can you get Zahra some new clothes? I don't want one of our best head merchants to be walking around in such a rugged getup."

"S-sure Ngozi," Safiya nodded, but glared at Zahra as she followed behind her and they left the room. Before they went into another room Safiya stopped her, staring her down as Zahra looked at her with hardening eyes. "Ngozi is thinking highly of you, but I don't see why. You're just a thief aren't you? Another one like the rest of this pathetic lot."

"Yes I'm a thief," Zahra huffed back, "but I do more than just thievery now –"

"Why find this creature? Don't you know what will happen to a woman like yourself if you cross with the King of Thie –"

"I have done so more than once and he's weaker than a fruit fly," Zahra smirked, Safiya's eyes widening at her response. "Look you may not like me, but I am not after your man there. You don't have to be afraid of that. Second I have my reasons for finding the creature… I've been searching for eons and come across nothing. This may be my only chance at finding where my family came from and I won't let the moment pass me by," she told her sternly, sighing as she ran a hand through her hair, "and lastly I seem to have a warrant on my head. What? Do you plan on telling the guards I'm here? Do you even know of my work woman?"

Safiya frowned, taking out a key and opening a door that led them into a room full of clothes, jewels, and other knickknacks that they were selling. "… I am sorry," she sighed and rummaged through the clothes, looking for something for Zahra to wear, "I-I didn't mean to insult you… but this is my children we're talking about, not Ngozi's. He… Ngozi tends to talk when he's drunk and he has told me several times about a woman called the Skia Diana –"

"Well that's because we know each other from long ago," Zahra smirked, "and he knows why I'm here and I know why he's here. It's not too hard to figure out, but you'll have to trust me on this… and if you think I slept with him you're mistaken. I'm still a virgin for crying out loud!"

The other woman snickered, "Virgin, you?! How ridiculous –"

"Basically I never found a man that I liked," Zahra huffed, "but it's hard to find good men in a sea of robbers and bandits. Anyways you shouldn't worry about a thing. I'll send a few men to track down the caravan and once I'm done with my mission I will attend to yours."

"Men?" Safiya asked.

She smirked, "Of course. I've done a lot in my life and one of them is command droves of buffoonal men. That is as simple as eating dates. Woman, before you jump to conclusions find out all you know first. It'll save you a lot of trouble in the meantime –"

"Here wear this," Safiya huffed, getting Zahra to quickly shut up. Zahra slipped on the dress, looking at her reflection in a shiny piece of jewelry and smirked. "… Like it –"

"I love it," Zahra chuckled, grabbing a black cloth beside her and slipping it around her neck. "Fits me perfectly, or for the time being. Will I have to pay –"

"For what you're doing I doubt Ngozi will make you pay," she sighed, though Zahra knew the woman was disappointed with the transaction. Deciding it was almost time to go Zahra headed back into the room where her belongings, Safiya following behind her to make sure the woman doesn't do anything funny when she was out of the room.

)(*&^%$# !

! #$%^&*()

Zahra raised an eyebrow, noticing the building she had walked into. "Animals," she grumbled under her breath, sneaking into the back of the room and looking around trying to get her bearings. This was obviously a den for thieves, a bunch of men fucking random women throughout the room as others watched. Either this was an orgy room or this group bought all those women, Zahra didn't know, but she didn't want to stick around to find out. According to Ngozi this is where Zahra should start looking for Bakura, but all she saw was a sea of disgusting men. She slipped into the back where the rooms were and walked down the hallway, stopping at a corner once she saw that no one was coming by and trying to figure out what she should do next. "I wish I had more information," she mumbled under her breath, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the wall. Then she decided to pull out her dagger from under her dress, looking at the engravings and noticing the faint glow of the half-man half-serpent on the blade. "Knew it," she smirked, looking up and pulling her hood closer to her face as she roamed further into the darkness of the inn.

As if the soul on the other side was calling to her, Zahra followed the blade's pull till she came upon a cracked door. Looking inside she grimaced in pain, quickly turning her head away and covering her eyes with her hands. "Gods that's disgusting –"

"It's better than doing nothing all night," came a voice beside her, Zahra looking over to find a man leaning against the wall in the same position she was, looking at her with a large grin on his face. She narrowed her eyes and noticed the glow that was emitting from him in the darkness, showing to her as plain as day that he was the creature she was looking for.

"… You're Diabound aren't you?" Zahra glared at the man, noticing his short white hair and bright red eyes staring deep into her jaded green eyes.

He stared back, noticing the curves on the woman and the dark black cloak she had over her shoulders. "Indeed," he grinned, moving his shirt to adjust the gray clothing he wore.

She narrowed her eyes, "Then how come you showed up so quickly –"

"You called," he pointed to her knife, Zahra looking down to see the image of the monster on her blade glowing intensely. "I will be honest," he sighed and leaned over to her, getting a better look of her, "I never expected to see you in this world, let alone running around in a pyramid going after gold. I should have known, but you have more potential then petty thievery."

"What? How do you –"

"Don't you remember the night you raided the latest pharaoh's tomb and ran away from that high priest? I was summoned to stop you, but I have a no tolerance policy when it comes to harming one of my own," he explained, placing his hands in front of his chest and chuckling lowly.

"What do you mean –"

"Don't you know?" he smirked, "You come from my village you see –"

"I get it," Zahra smirked, "you're a patron of a village, meaning whoever is born and lives in your village you are sworn to protect –"

"That's right," he chuckled. "My gods you've grown up! Usually I'd have to explain everything to you, but you seem to be figuring everything out yourself –"

"I'm sorry Diabound," she sighed and shook her head, "but I came here specifically to talk to you –"

"Sure kid," he smirked, "but you could have just summoned me –"

"I didn't know I could," Zahra honestly admitted, his red eyes slowly becoming darker as she continued. "Ummm… you see someone directed me to find you. Do you know who?"

"No idea," he shrugged, "but I should have assumed so. After all I haven't seen you in eleven years."

"… What is the name of the village you look over?" Zahra asked, Diabound letting out a sigh and shook his head.

"Child… what did those villagers do to you?" he frowned, continuing to stare into her eyes. "Something is missing, I can tell. You died that night, but yet you stand before me with flesh and bones. Did they revive you for some reason, for vengeance perhaps?"

She bit down on her bottom lip, quickly turning away and refusing to cry. "So… it's all true."

"What's true –"

"T-those dreams," she sighed, "that I keep having… You… you **have** to tell me the village. Please I'm begging you! –"

"Stop," he held up his hand, looking over at the door and noticing that the sounds had grown quiet. "… Meet me in the cliffs outside of the town tomorrow night. This time summon me using your dagger instead of wandering into here without any real protection."

"But what if that man summons you –"

"He won't know," Diabound smirked, "but when we meet again I insist you tell me everything that happened… what you're truly here for."

Zahra sighed and looked down, completely defeated. "Yes Diabound –"

"Now **go**," he instructed, disappearing into the wall. Zahra blinked as she heard voices coming down the hallway, quietly dashing the other way in an attempt to get out of the building as soon as possible.

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: Oh wow! Zahra doesn't seem to put two and two together well ^^' Think of it as a memory loss problem. Anyways I hope you like my Diabound. Yes I have him portrayed as a male… didn't think he'd look too great as a female and I have a lot of feminine roles so far. So yeah! I hope you enjoyed this and I hope to hear from you soon! =D **

Ngozi – Egyptian – blessed

Safiya – Egyptian – pure

Salidji – Egyptian – fruit tree

Nuru – Egyptian – born during the day


	30. The Spellbound Patron

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Well I decided to review another chapter because I have a bunch of chapters that need reviewing, still ^^' and I'm on a break so there you go =D Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter and have a great Thanksgiving! I don't know what I'll be doing, but hopefully it'll be fun and I'll get fed ^^**

! #$%^&*()

Zahra sat in the cavern for what felt like eons, deciding to let the horse go so she'd have some time to herself. The morning was normal, but by the afternoon the skies were cloudy and it began to rain. The activities in the town of Ra-To was conducted inside and barely anyone went outside in the rain even into the night. That is, except for a lone woman wearing a large black cloak, standing out in the middle of the rain once the sun had set on the horizon. She had left her bag in the cavern, looking off to the town and wondering what Diabound was up to. She took out her knife, sighing as she ran a hand over the inscription. Then the item began to glow and she looked over to her side, noticing the creature appearing before her, morphed as a human, and holding a large white snake with red beasty eyes in his hands. The snake slithered to the ground and slipped towards her, circling around her legs as it tasted her skin with its tongue. "Stand outside in the rain and you'll catch your death," Diabound smirked, watching as Zahra picked the snake from off of her legs, let it slither around her shoulders, and rest its head in the warmth of her cloak.

"If you know me you'd know I simply don't care," Zahra sighed and began to walk towards the ledge, sitting down and swinging her legs over the cliff looking down. He eyed her with curiosity, sitting down beside her and wondering what she'd do. "I don't care about dying," she decided to say with a grumble in her throat, Diabound shaking his head and looking down at the darkness of the cliffs below.

"… Why did you call me?" he asked softly, watching as a few grains of muddy sand fell over the cliff.

"Because I wasn't finished talking to you," she huffed, noticing the rain was beginning to lessen and she let out a tired sigh. "… I don't remember much," she chuckled lightly, Diabound turning to her with a confused look in his red eyes, "only… fractions… and mainly those fractions are filled with hurt and sorrow. I… I was told that you could tell me everything. So what's your price?"

"Price?" He huffed slightly disgusted, "Kid, if you're able to summon me with the dagger that has your name on it, you don't need to pay me."

"What?" Zahra snorted, looking down at her dagger and looking at the engravings. "… Fine. Ummm… then what was I? W-hat did I do in the village?"

"Well…" Diabound thought, looking out to the sky and thinking for a few moments. "… You were born in a high priestly class, a tribe called the Ranpu. Your family had done many things in the past, mainly traveling from village to village to care for those who were sick and needed their help instead of staying in a temple and waiting for the sick to come to them. Some humans in your family fought in wars, healed the sick, and kept the peace. Yet your family had never been head of a county or a province, always following instead of having others follow you, except for this one point in time when –"

"Why did my family end up in your village –"

"Call it fate or destiny, your family was one of the only priests that stayed in the village once the pharaoh of their time was laid to rest –"

"Wait, what –"

"You should let me explain everything before you interrupt," he narrowed his eyes, Zahra rolling her eyes before mumbling under her breath. Then Diabound smirked, looking back out to the cloudy skies as the rain pattered upon his face. "Your name is said to derive from a warrior goddess of Egypt, named Ranpu. She was depicted as a woman in male armor, holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other." Looking at Zahra he smirked at a thought that he had in his mind, the woman staring at him confused until he continued. "Long ago, before the county of Egypt ever came into existence, there was a nomadic group called the Ranpu. They were trained in all sorts of combat skills that preceded their own time, defeating anyone who was in their way. Yet they were very humble when no one stood against them, letting their opponents strike the first blow before striking them. At one point there was a goddess who went by the name Ranpu, the name of her desert tribe, but that woman isn't part of your bloodline," he huffed slightly at the thought. "At one point disaster struck and the nomadic group had to find a place to live during a drought, thus they found the growing country of Egypt and the Nile River. The clan dispersed into one of the cities, using the last name Ranpu as their identification. Your family became priests in only a span of two generations, the king at the time seeing the goodness in their hearts and letting them stay. With their deeds and actions your family held the status of high priestly family, having both religious and political strength in Egypt. After the drought had ended some Ranpus went back to the desert and others stayed in the cities, your family being one of them. After years of being in Egypt there was a moment when your bloodline was sent to work in a village created for a dying pharaoh. He wanted his tomb to be built and, at the time, your family was working in the temple as medical experts. Thus they were sent to this village, one of the few priests with any medical practice, and the priests in charge of the rest of their type there. That's where they met families, men of builders and slaves that were sent to the village to construct the tomb. They helped heal many men that got injured, and in time grew to love the small community they all shared. Once the pharaoh died many people left, but those who couldn't afford to leave were forced to stay and pray that the leaders of their country would remember them. Your ancestors stayed to care for these people, but sadly, after only a generation, the pharaoh of Egypt had forgotten them."

He sighed, running a hand through his white hair before continuing. "Several leaders, your family being one of them, devised a plan of action. They tried growing crops, but they failed for they were too far away from the Nile River for the plants to grow properly. A few men decided to try thievery and banditry for anyone who came within the bounds of their village, but your ancestors were in high protest against those acts. Even if they were against thieves, the money the villagers gained was able to keep the village alive with the small group of people they had left. In an attempt to keep the villagers on the right path, your ancestors called upon a creature of the gods, and thus I came to be there in your village," he smirked at the thought, Zahra raising an eyebrow as Diabound continued. "The village resorted to thievery, but yet asked your ancestors for guidance. So they did, and over the years the descendents came and gone from that village for many generations. Thus your family is one of the originals that came from the village, but only a few people, by the time you were born, treated them with respect. They sent their children to school, and their children's children, and so on. Your family was eventually linked to the god Anubis because… one of your ancestors had an affair," he shrugged, Zahra eying him confused. "Of course the woman never told her husband, but that's why your family has a strong link to the god. That child, with his father dying young in battle, was told at an early age that his father was truly Anubis. After that generation the respect for your family diminished, but priests that stayed in the village went to your family for guidance. Some ancestors became high priests to the pharaoh, others simply wandering away back to their roots as wanderers in the desert, but eventually they would come back. Why? Well…" he chuckled lightly, "they always called that village their home. Even as its name vanished from the outsiders they knew that village would always be their home. Children would return as others left, leaving always a family of Ranpu in the village. Though… over time a tragedy developed.

"As generations passed there were only a few Ranpu families. They still kept in touch, some were simple farmers and others were as noble as your family. At the time a man from your bloodline was a high priest at the temple of Anubis. There was a prophesy that was proclaimed that day: soon a child of the Ranpu family will rise from the slums of Egypt to take over the kingdom and claim their rightful place as rulers and kings. This not only scared the pharaoh, but a man who worked for the pharaoh. You see he had recently married a woman from a man in the desert whose last name was Ranpu. He thought there wasn't a lot of Ranpus left, seeing as her father only had one child and they were living alone. So he went power hungry. He wanted his family to precede the pharaoh once the man died. He devised a plan, a plan his wife never knew about. He sent men to kill anyone whose last name was Ranpu, had any association, and sent his efforts to all corners of the kingdom. The children were found and killed, families slaughtered and left to die in the desert. Only those who were old and couldn't have children could buy their way out of death. He was able to get away with his efforts when it was those nomadic groups, but once his goals where aimed to those in the cities there were uproars. Your family was one of the first to figure out this link, since they placed effort to keep in contact with their brethren who lived on the outskirts of Egypt. Actually your mother's uncle was the man who gave the announcement and your family knew much quicker than most. They warned those who they knew and everyone scattered, so the man had trouble finding every Ranpu," he smirked. "Well," Diabound sighed and looked up to the sky, "this wasn't going according to the gods' plans. It was simply a time for a new family to become the head of Egypt and that man was disrupting the balance. The pharaoh didn't even know about this and no one in his courts knew, except for perhaps one high priest. They talked and he was given help as long as his family stayed alive, and the man accepted. The man quickly learned that it was your family that warned the other families, so he went after them first. Sadly they lived in a village hidden from the rest of the kingdom that many thought was nonexistent or made up in stories, but that village is a true place and has been around for many generations. He only had one link: they lived in a village called the _Hidden Village of Thieves_. It was a famous place that only those in the slums knew about, and even with torture no one said where it was or they did not know. Seeing the danger for the village the family left and went to live in one of the cities, making everything that much easier for the man," Diabound smirked slightly before shaking his head and sighing. "Your grandparents were murdered in their sleep, their children stabbed and one died burning alive in the building as it was set ablaze, but there was still hope –"

"Hope?" Zahra huffed and shook her head, "no one can survive something like that –"

"But your mother," he caused Zahra to pause, the woman narrowing her eyes as he smirked, "didn't want to be a priestess as her parents were. She felt that her parents **made** her study, take the oath, etcetera, and thus she left the village months before the incident arose. She was in the streets, selling her body to others, and that's when a god got hold of her –"

"And knocked her up?" Zahra growled, "How despicable –"

"Not exactly," Diabound held up his hand, interrupting her. "You see little Ranpu, it was to be **your** bloodline who inherited this power, not that man's. You are from a family of high priests after all. It's only natural for a great leader and ruler would rise from that place… but yet… the man's decision wasn't in the gods' plans. Instead of letting a simple human be the ruler, they decided on a different tactic. Even if this man discovers the child born, he won't be able to harm it. Why? If the child is born with gifts from the god that will not stop the man, but if the child is **born** from a god… see where I'm going?" he decided to ask.

"I suppose," the woman sighed and shook her head, even though this creature was going too fast for her mind to keep up.

"… It wasn't as if the gods made her **do** anything, your mother let the god. After all if you're on the streets and a nice man comes to you to help every day wouldn't you want to get close to him?" Diabound shrugged, but Zahra simply glared at him waiting for him to continue. "… When your mother got pregnant she went to her uncle first. Once he saw that she was still alive, with a child no less, he told her to go back home. He explained the situation and that's when your mother realized the gods' intentions, thus, reluctantly, she returned back to the village she grew up in. The only people who knew of your birth were your uncle, your mother, and those in the village. That was all. The man who tried to bring glory to his family had failed… You were named Zahra by your mother," the creature smirked at the thought, the woman looking over at him as he chuckled, "for you were the child that had survived… the one from the gods that brought light to the darkness. Your last name was Ranpu because that was your mother's last name and usually no Ranpu has ever changed their last name once they were married, men and women alike… and Sutekh after the god that had seduced your mother… who goes by many names –"

"Wait," Zahra shook her head, "how could you know all this if you're simply a patron of a small village –"

"I caught wind of the situation before your grandparents and your aunts and uncles left the village," he tried to explain, "and your grandfather had told me the day before he left. When your mother came back she prayed to the gods and, of course, I was there and overheard her cries: for you to be safe, for no harm to come to the family and village… and etcetera. When you were born she devoted her life back to the gods, making sure you got the education you needed to become a priestess. She married a man whom she had a childhood crush on and once he invited her into his home while she was pregnant they went back on their old instincts. If they had lived longer you may have had siblings… but that is in the past." Diabound chuckled lightly, shaking his head before letting out a deep sigh. "… There is only so much I can tell you little Ranpu, but there is more for you to learn elsewhere. The only way you can unlock your memories is through the Millennium items, those accursed treasures that stole the lives of many," he growled under his breath, "but then again, I bet you can tell they hold trapped souls."

"I do," Zahra snorted and looked to her hands, "but… even if this is all well and good I still have more questions than answers."

"Go on –"

"Now that I know we're on the same page… they want me to make a vow," Zahra began, looking over at the creature with a stern look on her face. "Is there any point to me making this pact?"

"Vow?" Diabound paused before a smirk came upon his face. "Oh… you mean the priestly rite. Yes, Zahra, there is. Without the ceremony you are simply a child. The thing about your family is that, through the gods and your connection to them, you are able to unlock the secret powers hidden within your family's lineage: creatures of enormous strength and command of the nature around you. That's how the pharaoh knew you were a threat… and why that man wanted the powers for his own family," he huffed. "Without that ritual you won't harness the powers you need to defeat the pharaoh… and even if you don't want the powers you won't be completely whole. Your soul will eternally feel incomplete and continue to search for a reason for existence. You want to know your reason? To be a priestess, to travel and heal those in need… you do so already don't you?" he chuckled. "… It's not like your family is the only family that has to. There are many other families of priests that have their children go through the rite, but for you it holds more importance than a simple initiation. With a connection to the gods you can tap into your powers easier then you could before and be able to control yourself when your soul is released from your body. True, you may know how to do so already, but the ceremony enhances those powers ten-fold… then of course that's up to you," he shrugged and stood up, reaching for his snake as it slithered off of her body and around his arm, "I am not the one who has to take it… but then again if you don't you're denying your past, your family, and your village."

Zahra watched as the snake slithered off of her neck, sighing as she stood up and looked up to the sky. "Well," she smirked, "it seems like the rain is gone. I guess it's about time I leave."

"It seems so." Diabound smirked, watching as she climbed down to help her horse out of the cavern, having him trot up the side of the cliff till they made it to the top. "… You know little Ranpu," he decided to continue, Zahra pausing and looking at him with a content look in her eyes, "even if you don't become a priestess you can still summon me, and now that I know you're alive I can come to your aid."

"Thanks," she chuckled lightly, jumping onto the horse and giving him a wink, "but I can handle myself."

"Goodbye," he nodded to her, Zahra turning the horse around and galloping into the desert.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Marcius let out a tired yawn, stretching his arms and scratching his rear as he looked out to the desert. Then a smirk came upon his face, seeing a lone rider galloping towards the village before slowing down. The woman dressed in black slid off of the horse and the creature dashed off into the desert, casually walking over to Marcius and giving him a pat on the back. "Early for ya'h?" she chuckled, the man sticking out his tongue and walking back into the tavern.

She smirked and followed behind him, seeing that the place was practically empty except for a man that was passed out on the floor with beer lingering on his breath. Zahra skipped over the body and followed Marcius into one of the rooms. She sat down on the bed and sighed, Marcius yawning as he searched the room for an outfit for the woman. "So what's with the getup?" he snickered, Zahra rolling her eyes and setting her head down on the bed.

"Had to sneak into a town and this was the only thing I could come up with," she huffed, grabbing the tan tunic the man threw at her and stared at the clothing wondering if it'd fit her or not, "but enough about me. What's up with you?"

"Well we've figured out where Ihab is in Teudjoi," he sighed, looking over at her as she stood up to change her clothes, "but we… didn't find… a-ny… thing –"

"Marcius turn around or so help me I'll cut up your face and send your genitals through a butcher house," she snarled, the man quickly turning his head and faced the wall as she threw off her wet dress and sipped on the tunic. "… Where in Teudjoi?"

"In the southern district living at a place called the – Oh shit you're already dressed!" Marcius groaned, Zahra chuckling as she kicked her wet clothing off to the side and began looking for some more fabric and accessories. "Anyways he's at the house of the imey-er, Yahya of Teudjoi, and his wife, Nakia. He's dispersed his men all over the place, but Ihab is living there for… a few more days I guess."

"Did you come across any strange creatures? Preferably anything to do with fire?" she asked.

"No," Marcius shook his head, watching as she grabbed a black and blue fabric and tied it around her waist. "We didn't see anything, though, of course, we're only looking through the eyes of mortals," he chuckled lowly.

"What about any captives –"

"If there are any they'd be in Yahya's house. We don't have a lot of information… it seems the men who were supposed to stay in this town left by now or were grabbed by the Tariqis. That's all we know," Marcius shrugged, letting out a tired yawn and slumping down on the bed. "In any case we have something for you, but he left to look around the house and will be back in another hour."

"**He**?" Zahra looked at him suspiciously.

"Yes _**he**_," Marcius snorted, "and Daleel sent him over to help us. Apparently he knows you… but didn't say his name. Says it's a surprise."

"Well that narrows it down," Zahra rolled her eyes; fixing the jewelry she wanted to keep on her body and throwing the rest of them into her bag.

"… Since it'll be an hour you can try to sleep –"

"No no," Zahra huffed, "there's a few things I have to do first. Might as well see this house for myself."

"Then don't die," Maricus chuckled, Zahra snorting as she slammed the door behind her and rushed down the hallway.

)(*&^%$# !

The woman took her time sneaking into the building, knowing full well Asbit was lurking nearby. She kept her face covered with a black cloth over her head and mouth, only her eyes lurking about as she snuck in the dark spots for the walls and climbed across the ceiling. If her body touched any sort of light it would trigger an alarm to Asbit and then Ihab would be out of her reach. Zahra had to find Vitus and Aurelia, she just had to. She could feel their presences somewhere in the building, but it felt foreign to her. Asbit or some other sort of magic was cutting her off from coming into contact with them, so she'll have to find them in person. Noticing a room she peeked inside, her eyes narrowing when she noticed the devious man among his comrades in the hall room. They wouldn't be there. The man who seemed to play host wasn't the being in the wrong, it was the lying man beside him who had kidnapped her comrades and friends and are sentencing them to early deaths.

Keeping her movements silent she made her way to the other side of the building, noticing old doors that would surely descend to the depths below. Sneaking down Zahra wondered will she simply take them when she found them or help everyone else? It depended on the state they were in, that's for sure. She only relied on the sounds around her to know where she was going. The place she walked into was like a stony labyrinth, probably a place where they held their prisoners. First she had to detect where the guards were, and it wasn't hard to find them laughing and hooting in the corner of one of the hallways. It was easy to sneak past them and take their keys, a few different keys just in case there were others she found that had the abilities to free themselves. Then she heard moaning and groaning, Zahra's face turning pale at the cries down the hallway.

She peeked around into the room and had to avert her eyes, her eyes trembling in shock at what she had seen. Zahra calmed her body down and looked back into the room, her hands gripping the corner of the wall tightly as she stared at the sight in front of her. There was a boy strapped down to a table, his eyes filled with fear as men stood over him. He screamed as they sliced into his chest, the men giving no remorse as they dissected the body till they gathered the organ they wanted. She narrowed her eyes as they took out a heart chilled on a block of melting ice, quickly stitching the foreign heart to the boy before stitching him back together. "Let's hope this works," one of the men said solemnly, the woman trying to hold back a snarl at his insincere words. From how this was going the boy was going to die. Zahra couldn't believe the boy could live after that, after all if the organ is of someone else or of a different species all together he wouldn't have a chance. No, there were sadly more important matters she had to attend to and the boy would have been lost. To risk her life for only one when there are others trapped in cages that could be freed? That's, sadly, her priority and not this boy.

Leaving the room she continued down the hallways, the darkness of the place barely confusing her as she listened for any other sorts of movements or cries. Down here Zahra could feel Vitus and Aurelia much more clearly and she followed their auras, but Vitus wasn't giving as much energy as his sister. This was bad. That meant he was close to his death in this gods' forsaken underworld. Zahra hastened her walking in a desperate attempt to find a living soul. Sure enough, after spending a few more moments taking random lefts and rights, she came across the cells where they were keeping the prisoners. She tried to hold back a grimaced face, a somber look landing on her face as she looked at the people in the cells. Apparently they saw her as another guard, keeping their gazes away as quiet whimpers and cries were heard as she walked past. Still she wouldn't falter. The energy was getting stronger now and combined with the other souls trapped underground Aurelia's aura shined like a light in an impending darkness. "Aurelia," Zahra whispered into the cell, noticing about six to seven people chained to the walls and looking sick and groggy, "Vitus are you in there –"

"M-mag-i-strum?" a quiet voice came from the corner of the cell, turning her head to look at the woman as her glowing jaded green eyes stared at the figure in the darkness. "Ranpu!" she gasped, nudging the man laying next to her with his back facing Zahra, "I told you she'd come –"

"Aurelia, I swear to the gods if you keep talking I'll disembowel your head from your neck," Zahra hissed at her, but the other woman kept crying in relief until Zahra pulled out a key and began unlocking the door. Pausing she noticed the other humans trapped in the cell, staring at her with hardened eyes as she sighed and threw the keys at someone's feet. "This will move a lot quicker if I can have some help," she huffed, "and if you make any more noise the guards will catch you. It's a maze down here, but if you unlock the other cells I'll get everyone out of here in one piece –"

"Why should we believe you –"

"She's the one I was talking about!" Aurelia exclaimed, trying to bottle up her emotions into a simple whisper. "That's the Skia Diana, Diana!"

"Stop talking and just move," Zahra brought her voice down to a whisper, kneeling beside Aurelia and unlocking her chains. At the sound of the chains unlocking the others began to stir, seeing their only opportunity to escape with that second.

Once the chains where unlocked Aurelia weakly rolled over the man beside her, Zahra's eyes widening at the familiar face. "P-please Ranpu," she whispered to her, tears streaming down her face, "can you help him –"

"Vitus…" Zahra frowned, quickly unlocking his chains and pressing a hand against his chest. She held back tears, the man barely hanging onto his life as she felt his heart slowly beating in his chest. "W-what happened –"

"They cut him open and he came back like this –"

"Let's get going," she huffed, knowing full well what must have happened to him. Even if the man was a few years younger it hurt to see her friend this way, a boy she had trained to be such a great warrior and hunter. Seeing him in his state… Zahra was close to sobbing, but her search was over. She had found the twins. She pulled Vitus onto her back and began walking to the door, Aurelia following behind her as she stumbled to keep up. The others had already left, but Zahra watched as they unlocked doors and began bringing those they knew out of the cells they were in. Some shed tears of joy once they came upon a loved one that was still living; others were cries of sorrow seeing their dead bodies in the cell still chained to the wall. "The strong help the weaker ones along. We don't have time to waste down here –"

"Does someone smell smoke?" a man sniffed the air, Zahra looking up as her eyes narrowed to the heat radiating from above.

"M-mommy?" a child whimpered, clinging to her mother as tears streamed down her face, "a-re we still g-going to die –"

"Not if you do as I say," Zahra huffed and looked over at Aurelia, but knowing she was too weak to carry her own brother. "Someone please take this man," she asked. A man, whose leg had been broken, limped towards her and grabbed the boy from her hands. Then she wandered back into the cell, seeing a crack in the wall and looking outside. Her eyes widened, seeing the town ablaze on fire and the flames coming towards them to consume the building. "Damn!" She snarled. No wonder no one had noticed they were escaping. There was so much commotion above no one would mind a group of prisoners escaping, but that meant they were trapped. Narrowing her eyes she didn't recognize anyone from her group, meaning this was a raid or some sort or a band of thieves. Either way they probably didn't know they were there, so Zahra would have to act fast. Grabbing a discarded brick she began prying her hands at the small hole in the ceiling, eventually loosing enough bricks so she could throw the stones to the ground. She could feel the prisoners beginning to crowd behind her, but Zahra didn't stop till she made enough room for a man and a half to fit through.

Then climbing out of the building her eyes widened in shock, the flames creeping around her threatening to consume her. "Ranpu help!" She heard Aurelia's cry from the ground, Zahra looking back over to find a swarm of people escaping out of the prison until those who were much weaker struggled to get out. She knelt down and began to pull those who couldn't get out one by one, a few others staying behind to help the others escape.

Zahra coughed into her arm, tying the cloth around her face closer to her nose as she pulled Aurelia up from the ground, then helping Vitus out, and lastly the man that helped carry him. "Y-you must be like them –" the man coughed, the smoke filling his lungs as the woman gave him a smile.

"You mean demonic? Evil? If that's so then yes, that's true," Zahra nodded, "but if you wish to chit-chat we'll have to do this later." Then they heard a cry, a voice of a child screaming in the darkness as the flames began to lift up out of the prison and try to grab hold of them. "Aurelia," she turned to the other woman, Aurelia looking over at the woman as she tried to tend to her brother's wounds, "I was sent here by Daleel, so go find one of our kind and they'll help you. I need to go investigate what's going on."

Her eyes widened in shock, the man picking up the boy and slinging his body over his shoulder, "B-but Ranpu! –"

"Now Aurelia!" Zahra glared at her, a hiss escaping her lips until her eyes softened and she let out a sigh. "I'll be fine. Just keep yourself well and I'll come back to help you. Trust me Aurelia, you know my time to end won't be here. Now **go**." Reluctantly the woman followed the older man into the streets, trying to go around the flames in hopes of coming into contact with the people Zahra spoke about.

Jumping down Zahra dashed as fast as she could, looking for a sound as the flames leapt up and tried to grab hold of her arms. Asbit had to be behind how quickly the fires tried to engulf her, having to cover her face with her black cloth to get through the fire without getting burned. Once she got into the room she heard the screaming Zahra noticed she was back in the room where she found the little boy being cut up, hearing sobbing and looking at the stone block to find the boy crying in a corner of the room. "Kid, get over here!" Zahra yelled, but the boy didn't budge and kept sobbing.

Dashing over to the boy she wrapped the cloth around their bodies, picking him up into her arms and gasping at the large wound on his chest. "I-I want my daddy… I-I want m-my daddy…" he continued to cry, Zahra letting out a sigh and began to run as fast as she could towards an exit.

She slammed her arm into the door, the door crashing down as she trudged through the building. Zahra huffed and puffed, coughing as she tried to keep herself covered from the flames that leapt up from the ground. Hearing the boy coughing in her arms she felt blood splatter on her chest, but she had to keep going. If she stops now they're both going to die. The humans that had been around either escaped or ended up dead on the ground, meaning this was a raid. She'd have to be careful, letting out a forced cough as the fire forced her to a window. "Hes!" Zahra snarled, jumping down from two stories and handing with a _**'thud' **_on the ground. Groaning she willed her body to keep going, her arms protecting the boy as she pushed past an open gate and began to run through the streets. She could still hear screaming and yelling, but she didn't have enough strength to help anyone else. After all she had a dying boy in her arms. She had to keep going, at least to make sure he lived. And Vitus… if Zahra doesn't find the children soon they were going to die and she knew it. "Gods give me strength," she mumbled under her throat, pulling the cloth out from around her body so she could see where they were going.

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**A/N: Oh no a raid! At least Zahra didn't burn herself XD Anyways I hope you've enjoyed this so far. More adventure? Probably! =D Have a great Thanksgiving and I hope to update soon! X3**

_imey-er_ – Egyptian – _overseer_

Yahya – Egyptian – given by God

Nakia – Egyptian – pure/faithful

_magistrum_ – Latin – _master_


	31. The Burning Refuge

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! Decided to post another chapter for this week. Ugh! I can't believe the break is almost over! Oh well! Had a lot of food and now we have leftovers; good leftovers XD I hope you've been enjoying this story. I know I've had an exciting time writing it. Enjoy!**

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"Ranpu! Ranpu!" a man sitting upon a large black horse called, the horse letting out a neigh about to buck the man off. "It's alright Ghalib," he sighed, patting the horse's head as it snorted at the man, "We'll find her. Marcius said she came back here, but I can't find her –"

"Someone help!" the man heard someone scream, _**'clicking'**_ his teeth and causing the horse to dash into a gallop. He was trying to avoid the bandits as well as he could, but he was starting to panic when he hadn't come across Zahra all day. If something happened to her he'd have Marcius' head, and he swore by the gods that he'd slaughter anyone who dare laid a finger on her. He watched as a group of people ran for their lives and towards the desert, his brown eyes darting around looking for the cry. "Some – Orion? Orion! Master! Help us!"

"Aurelia," the man realized, turning the horse to their direction and jumping off once he came upon the crying woman. "I should have known," he shook his head, tilting the woman's head up so he could see her face. "Where's Zahr –"

"Ranpu's still in the building!" Aurelia began to cry, "and there's a man back there with Vitus –"

"I'm going to go after Zahra. Find Marcius. He's a short boy with blonde hair. He has a few wagons for any of the survivors that emerge. Go to him. We'll take care of you." Aurelia nodded and looked to the man who was bring her brother, Orion nodding as he jumped back onto the horse and let out a loud _**'Hi'yah!'**_. He had to be quick. With the thieves running around there's no telling what will happen to her. If she gets killed before she can heal all the dying humans they will end up dead in less than an hour without her help. He knew this and Ghalib definitely knew this, that's why they're here after all.

! #$%^&*()

The child cough again, Zahra groaning as she tried to get out of the town as fast as possible. "Come on kid, don't die on me," she snarled under her breath, clutching the child closer to her chest when he coughed up more blood.

"Hey there's a woman!" she heard someone yell, Zahra snarling as she turned on her feet and dashed back towards the flames.

"Get away!" She growled, the horses coming towards her as she turned into an alley trying to escape them. Just then a flaming pile of wood fell from the sky, Zahra jumping as high as she can and curling her body up around the boy. Knocking a board before it struck her in the head she dashed to the other end of the alley, coughing and spitting out a small amount of blood as she groaned and felt a sharp pain on her arm. "N-no… damn…" she hissed, coughing as she inhaled the smoke and continued to try to find a way out of the town and also avoiding the thieves that were galloping on horses and grabbing whatever they could find.

Suddenly a blast of fire came straight at her face, jumping off to the side into the main street and accidently letting go of the child. The boy let out a loud cough, a fountain of blood spewing out of his mouth as he curled up and clutched his chest. "Daddy! Daddy! –"

"Let me go!" Zahra snarled, her wrists slowly burning as a creature held her hands behind her back. "You foul bitch! –"

"_I need your help~_" Asbit whispered into her ear, refusing to let her wrists go. "You k-know how it's like to be like this? Imprisoned when you've supposed to have passed on –"

"Yes I do," Zahra answered darkly, glaring behind her back as she tried to twist herself free. "I know that _**all~~**_ too well Asbit. Now let me go –"

"You want to defeat Ihab?" she asked, Zahra raising an eyebrow at her comment. "My link to this world is a golden candle holder. With a lit candle inside the person who holds the object can bring me back from the dead. Take this away from Ihab and I'll disappear –"

"But that won't solve the problem," Zahra huffed, "and I'd rather _destroy~_ the object then simply take it away."

"But –"

"You don't have your priorities straight," she snorted, freeing herself when Asbit's guard was down and kicking her away with her foot. Taking a few steps into the street Zahra held up her fists, glaring at the creature as it stood before her in a mystical glow of flames and fire. "Mine are to kill Ihab with my bare hands, so what is yours?! You good for nothing spirit! I'll have Ammit swallow you up right here and now!"

"P-please master –"

"No, don't you master me!" Zahra sneered. "I have come too far for that sort of nonsense! Now… if you want to please me then stay out of my way, Asbit. **Stay. Out. Of. My. Way.**" With a hiss escaping her lips the woman turned her back on the creature, rushing over to the boy coughing on the ground as his eyes stared at her in shock. "Oh for the love of the gods," she cursed, slipping off the cloth around her waist and tying it around his chest.

"D-daddy –"

"Sorry, but if he was with you in that prison he's dead," Zahra huffed bluntly, pressing her hand against his chest and groaning as she wrapped her arms around his body and stood up to her feet. "Come on, damn it," she hissed, the burns continuing to sizzle on her skin while she began to stumble forward before taking off in a dash.

"There's one!" she heard behind her, Zahra looking back with a glare before picking up her pace and trying to escape using the alleys.

Luckily she was far enough away that they lost sight of her, but that didn't mean another group of thieves noticed she was running towards them. "Great," she growled, "I'm stuck in the middle!" Changing her direction Zahra ran between two buildings, hissing in pain as the flames leapt up to smolder her skin.

Jumping out of the alley she stumbled slightly evading a pile of debris, not noticing a horse coming towards her and nearly kicking her in the face. "Watch it!" she heard the man on the horse call to her, her eyes narrowing when she heard the horse stop and the man slowly make his way to her. "Hey there," he said in an innocent voice, though Zahra knew he could have other intentions in mind, "a-are you alright –"

"Touch me and I'll slit your throat," Zahra hissed, her dagger clutched tightly in her hand as she held the boy in the other.

"Now, now," he sighed, "I'm not going to hurt you – Adjo?!" He gasped; jumping towards her, but Zahra narrowed his eyes and aimed the knife at his throat. In an instant his hands were up, chuckling lightly hoping she wouldn't cut him. "P-please… is that my brother –"

"M-maskini?" the boy coughed, looking up from the woman's arms at the familiar sound.

Zahra watched as the man's eyes began to tear up and she sighed, slipping her dagger back under her dress and lifting the boy as the man crouched down. "A-adjo?" he gasped, running a hand through the boy's hair as Zahra kept his chest hidden with her hand, "W-we thought you died."

"M-mommy a-nd s-sist-er –"

"They're dead," Maskini sighed, "I'm sorry."

Adjo's eyes watered, coughing as tears streamed down his face, "D-addy t-too…"

"Oh Adjo!" Maskini laughed and hugged the child, "But you aren't and now we can be together –" He paused, the boy coughing on his shoulder and spitting blood on his neck. "Kid?!" He gasped, snarling as Zahra pulled the boy away and set his body on the ground. His eyes turned to her in anger, the woman giving him no heed as he snarled, "What's happening!? –"

"His chest has been recently cut open and an organ was replaced with another," she huffed, ignoring the man as he came closer. "If I can't get him to a safe place soon he's going to die. I need to heal him right now. He's losing too much blood… it'll be the only way."

"Who –"

"Have you heard of the Tariqis?" Zahra asked, Maskini glaring at the name as she set a cloth under the boy and unraveled the bloody cloth from his waist. "They experimented on him and I'm currently trying to fix this. Now how about you give me some space and do something useful so I can work. Huh?"

"R-right," Maskini nodded, taking a few steps back towards his horse. He still kept uneasy eyes on her, wondering what she was going to do next.

Zahra sighed, pulling out a cloth from her bag and once it was unraveled it revealed a supply of sharp instruments and other various items she would need. "Hopefully I can remember this," she mumbled under her breath, pulling out the dagger from under her dress and setting it aside next to the rest of the tools.

Then Maskini's eyes widened, watching as she snipped the string that held the boy's chest together and pulled the stitching apart. "What are you doing –" He paused, hearing a quiet voice of whispers coming from the woman's mouth as she worked, her bright, jaded green eyes locked onto the boy's chest as she reached down for the boy's heart and held it in her hand.

The heart slowly beat, yet ill regular to the normal _**'thumps'**_ of a human heart. She closed her eyes and concentrated; a low hum of light surrounding her as she began: "Oh gods on high, hear my cry. Alter this heart as is my chore. I will be the hearth and change him more. Send forth his beating heart on the scale or turn his body frail. The child shall be a gift to the gods, and prove the difference between the odds. Take me, Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu, Skia Diana, Cursed One, if he is unworthy of thy grace. Change my spirit upon thy face," she held back a cough, her hand beginning to shake as a light began to surround the child's animal heart, "Take me, Zahra-Sutekh Ranpu, if he is unworthy of thy grace! Change my spirit upon thy face!" Her eyes darted open, different variants of green swirling in her eyes, but she paid the difference no heed and went on with her work, placing the heart back into the small body and pushing his ribcage close with the palms of her hands. Grabbing a thread and needle she quickly sewed up his skin together, Maskini having to look away and turn his attention to the chaos surrounding him.

This wasn't good. The thieves will be looking for him soon and if they see this woman covered in blood… yet he had to make sure his brother was alright or at least breathing and will be able to be carried away. "A-are you done miss?" Maskini asked, glancing over at the woman as she continued to mumble quiet prayers under her breath as she stitched the boy together.

She took out her water skin and dabbed water onto a piece of cloth. Then very gently she dabbed the blood away, the boy cringing as he coughed and he fought back the pain on his chest. "He'll be fine," Zahra mumbled in Egyptian, loud enough for Maskini to hear, "but I'm not done yet."

Maskini watched as she pulled out a roll of bandages from her bag. He was beginning to wonder who this woman was. She had the skills of a priestess, that's for sure, but yet she knew how to defend herself against any foe. Perhaps she was a wandering priestess? The idea isn't uncommon, but the reality of coming across a priest or priestess wandering the sands and healing others was slim to none. He remembered when the youngest child was sick and he went with his father to a priest to heal the baby, but the child died in the temple and his father cursed himself for months till Adjo was born. "Oh gods," he sighed, his head snapping up when he heard his name being called. He whimpered, unsure of what he should do as Zahra tied the ends of the bandages together and threw her stuff into her bag.

"Go," Zahra instructed him, leaving the bloody pieces of fabric on the ground as she stared at him with an emotionless expression, "I'll make sure the boy lives. Go back to your group and look for me later. Don't worry, he'll be just fine –"

"Ranpu there you are!" Orion gasped, jumping right off of the horse and running to embrace her, but stopped short once he noticed the blood all over her body and the shivering boy in her arms. He glanced over at the young thief staring at them confused, but then looked back at Zahra with a look of worry on his face. "We have to go –"

"Oh so you're the one whom I was supposed to wait for?" Zahra snorted, walking over to the horse as he neighed happily and let the woman's bloody hand pet the top of his nose. "Sorry but I couldn't wait," she chuckled darkly, Orion rolling his eyes and turning his attention to the thief.

"I don't know what's going on here," Orion began as he talked to Maskini with a stern look on his face, "but if those bandits find us we're going to die. I know whom you're from and we'll show the boy home. Don't worry about it kid. Whoever this boy is to you he'll be fine in Ranpu's care."

Maskini looked at them nervously, but let out a sigh of defeat as he grabbed hold of his horse's reins and climbed onto its back. He knew it was useless to argue. He wouldn't be able to do anything for Adjo and it seemed to him the woman knew what she is doing. "If I don't see him in three days I'm coming after you," he sneered, galloping away as Zahra coughed into her hand and blood splattered in her palm.

Orion frowned, but didn't ask any questions as he helped the younger woman onto the horse. "T-hanks Orion," she tried to smile, but her chest was in so much pain that she could barely keep her eyes open. "I-is Vitus a-nd Aurelia –"

"We already have them," Orion nodded as he climbed onto the horse and sat behind Zahra, "and the group already left. We have to hurry before the thieves spot us and we'll have to find a village to stay low in for a while."

"F-fine," Zahra coughed, Orion running a comforting hand through the woman's hair before gripping the reins and letting the horse dash into a full gallop. The woman kept her hands clutched tightly on the boy's chest, hoping the ride won't split apart the stitches she had just done. The spell worked very effectively, that's for sure, but Zahra had used a lot of her strength to change the boy's new heart back into the heart it once was. She glared as she saw a group of horses galloping towards them, but Orion evaded them with ease and they galloped far into the desert. Once the hooves of the horse hit the sand Zahra's eyes began to close, a groan escaping her throat as her body told her to conserve her energy till it was needed.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"_Oh gods it's coming!"_

"_What is that thing?!"_

"_Ranpu, what should we do –"_

"_Hes up and stay back Vitus! Or else I'll rip you apart myself! –"_

"_Oh doesn't the little dead thief speak so highly of herself," a dark voice chuckled, grabbing hold of Zahra and gripping her tightly in his grip, "but you want to know something? I don't really care~. I own you~~ and you're worthless~ without me, worthless~~"_

"_And you're nothing without me," Zahra yelled, a light coming from her body as the creature let out a let out a cry of pain, "Nothing Zorc! Nothing!" _

Zahra let out a gasp, her eyes darting open before groaning and turning to her side. Then she realized something, she was lying down under the covers of a small bed. "Wha –"

"Sit, calm down, and you'll be fine," a man told her, pressing gently on her chest as she groaned and clutched her eyes closed.

"Damn it Orion," Zahra snorted, shaking her head and pressing a hand up to her forehead, "h-how long has it been and where in the gods are we?"

"Only a day or two," Orion shrugged, "and it's about nighttime by now –"

"Where are we?" she asked again, glaring at him until she tried to push herself up out of the bed and groaned as a shock of pain shot up through her spine and up her chest.

"… Ra-To –"

"What?!" Zahra shot up in shock, Orion staring at her confused as a look of fright pasted through her features to suddenly be replaced by anger. "How could you!? I heard from the streets here that the pharaoh is searching for me and a bunch of men wouldn't mind finding me and taking me to him! Orion –"

"Oh for the gods' sake calm down Zahra," he snarled, Zahra narrowing her eyes at him before she startled fumbling around and examining her wounds. She sighed, staring at the fading burns on her hands and arms. Orion frowned, noticing the pain obviously growing on her face. "… It was the only place nearby we could get to without alerting the guards. There's a man here who works with Daleel. Everywhere else… well they've disappeared I suppose –"

"Where's Ngozi?" Zahra asked, glaring at Orion as he stared at her confused.

"Ummm… you know him –"

"I met up with him, I guess, a few days ago." Stumbling out of bed Zahra threw her legs over the bed, noticing the dress she was wearing was now a silky red and white dress. Slowly making her way to a pile of cloths in the corner the woman searched till she found a long black piece of cloth, tying it around her waist while Orion simply stared and watched as her stumble around.

"Why?" Orion decided to ask, Zahra looking over at him before shrugging.

"You were there," Zahra snorted, "and heard the oracle. I suppose I'm just… living out my destiny I suppose." She let out a tired sigh, lifting her bag and setting it on the bed. She threw out anything bloody until she came upon the dagger she had thrown in haste, finding the leather strap at the bottom of her bag and lifting up the side of her dress. Orion looked away as she tied the strap tight on the side of her thigh, slipping the dagger in the holster before setting her leg down and slumping to the bed. "… Where's everyone else?"

"Around the village," Orion explained, turning his head back once he noticed she was done. "We're trying to stay hidden, but it's going to be hard. Luckily there's a thief here that runs this place and we've been granted permission to stay for about a week."

"… Who gave us the permission –"

"A thief named Bakura," Orion continued, "and I recognized his name from one of the shipping routes so he knows Daleel."

"… Did he see me –"

"I doubt it," Orion snorted. "Marcius was the one who made the deal. I simply got you and that child into the building before you bled out. You got more than burns Zahra… and they're pretty bad."

"Great," Zahra huffed, placing her items back in her bag before staring at him wondering what he was thinking. "… So… what now? Why did Daleel send you?"

"Something along the lines of extracting information," Orion chuckled lightly, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back in the chair he was sitting on. "You seemed to disappear off of the face of the earth once you traveled into Miletus and now you're back in action. So? What happened to you?"

She sighed and shook her head, looking away from him and standing to her feet. "It's… something I don't want to talk about," Zahra frowned, walking over to a window and looking out. She smiled that the building she was in had a direct view to the desert, watching the moon as it slowly rose in the sky and the sands as they flowed with the stream of the winds. "… It's complicated, but for years I tried to run away," she shook her head, though her eyes continued to look out to the desert, "and my sister finally caught wind of me and asked me to come back. Well I'm here… and I have to face everything I've feared head on now… I don't know what to do with myself, but I know this is all or nothing. Either I do everything those spirits ask and disappear or run away like last time… I just don't know anymore Orion. I don't know what I should do…"

"… The right thing I suppose?" Orion shrugged, standing up and running a hand through his hair. "Why?"

Zahra looked down at her hands, gently pressing into the burns before letting out a deep sigh. "… They want me to become a full-fledged priestess," she admitted, "and… I don't know if I should. If I do this what will that accomplish? I will be able to heal everyone in an instant, I know that much." With a smile she turned to him, chuckling lightly as she shook her head and looked to the ground. "I… will end up dead quicker… I… will vanish. I will be able to summon the pieces of my soul much more easily then I've been able to and keep myself under control. Just… should I let myself be branded forever to my dagger just for that? For that power? I honestly don't want it, but… should I?"

He gave her a weak smile, walking over to her and gently wrapping his arms around her waist. Zahra began to sniffle, holding back tears as she wrapped her hands around him and buried her head into his chest. "If that is what you wish, I'll always be here to support you," he whispered into her ear, the woman smiling as she chuckled and let a few stray tears fall down her face.

"Y-yeah I know," Zahra sighed, rubbing her face on his chest before lifting her head and giving him a weak smile. "… Did you know my family is apparently part of this tribe called the Ranpu?"

"Really?" Orion smirked before chuckling lightly, "No, I never heard of them."

"Yeah! And at one point there was a woman who called herself Ranpu," she snickered, "but my own family was from the high-priestly class. Apparently supposed to complete some… prophecy… thing… but hey maybe I should do it! Write the man who killed my family on my list of people to brutally kill. What do you think?"

"Sure," Orion gave her a wink, "add him to the list."

Zahra giggled and pulled out of his arms, walking around the room and slipping on her shoes. "Okay this was great, but I can't rest now. Ihab is still on the run, isn't he?"

"We lost track of him," Orion gave her a shrug and sighed, "but he's headed south –"

"Either running to the pharaoh or is trying to escape into the forest," she shook her head, grabbing a dark black and red cloak and placed it upon her head. "That man is such a coward."

"That he is," Orion agreed, watching as Zahra wrapped the cloth over her face so only her eyes were showing.

"Well… don't be surprised if I disappear –"

"Don't worry about that," he chuckled lowly, "I know you after all. I taught you to get out before others got suspicious. So your enemies can't catch up with you."

"True," Zahra nodded and slung her bag over her shoulder, "but right now I have to heal all those poor souls that were trapped in the complex and also make more medicine –"

"Then that's how we'll spend our time," Orion smirked and slipped on his cloak, letting Zahra walk out of the room first with the man following behind her. "I had some women start the pot for you. I figured you'd be out for a while so we started when we got here."

"Great," the woman responded, finding a feat of stairs and descending down the steps a couple at a time, "and did you see the scroll I was given yet?"

"Actually I was meaning to ask you about that," Orion chuckled. "Will this be a new project?"

"Sadly yes," she rolled her eyes, "it will be if I get out of this mission in one piece."

"Already have a few men on it," he smirked, "and someone should come up on the caravan's whereabouts in a week or two. In the meantime take the time to figure out what you want to do. I can head the operations –"

"Hey!" Zahra snorted, turning her head and glaring at him, "Are you trying to take my job Orion?"

"What? Me? _Nooooooo_," he smirked.

She huffed and stepped onto the lowest level, looking at the bar before taking a turn and walking out a back door into an alley. "_I don't need your help~_" she sung as she wiggled her finger at him, Orion rolling his eyes as he hustled to walk side by side the chuckling woman.

"I know that," he huffed, "and the last time you headed an operation you did stupendous, but I figured, since you like rushing off, killing people, etcetera, I'll just keep everything calm here. What do you say?"

"Sure," Zahra shrugged, "one less thing to worry about. Now can you show me…"

"Oh yeah!" Orion chuckled, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the main streets. "They should be on the other side of the village. The only other available room was on this side of the village, that's why we're over here."

"Whatever," she snorted, letting the man guide her through the streets and avoid the men and women they passed. Oddly enough the place was very lively in the middle of the night, which is abnormal for any other town she's usually stayed in. Not as if she hadn't been in a place like this before, but life would have been a lot more easier if she didn't have to hide behind a veil and mentally pray that Bakura wouldn't see her. There's no telling what he'll do if he realized who he just let into his village, and honestly Zahra just wanted to finish her task and move on to a different location.

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: And… there we go! =D Thank you for enjoying this chapter! I hope you guys are enjoying the story. I don't know if I'll post another chapter anytime soon, but if not I hope you guys do well towards the end of this semester. I know I need some prayers. I have a bunch of tests and papers and even presentations to do before the end of the semester is up. Either way enjoy yourselves and I'll SEE YOU LATER!**


	32. The Healing Process

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! I've been so busy writing that I haven't been reviewing the chapters XD So here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy. At least everyone is safe, mainly =O**

! #$%^&*()

"I suppose the only ones that are having trouble are Vitus now," Zahra thought to herself, walking into a room and closing the door behind her. "Hey Aurelia," she greeted, walking over to the bed and looking over the man's sleeping form, "how's Vitus been?"

"Better," she sighed, glancing over at the man sitting in a chair in the corner that had brought him from the town into the room, "but… I don't know Ranpu. Will something happen –"

"Shouldn't," she shook her head, pressing a finger to the woman's lips before kneeling beside Vitus' bedside and began to remove the blankets that covered his body. There were several wounds on his chest, many more on his back with whip marks and fresh all over his body. Her main concern was a large gash mark right in the center of his chest, Zahra knowing full well they must have replaced one of his organs with another. "When those who are too ill to leave their beds sleep, they show up in the shadow realm. Currently Vitus is making friends with a bunch of souls whom are wandering the shadows, but he won't take a turn for the worse. It's easy to keep track of everyone when they're in the shadows anyways. It's only a matter of reconnecting their spirits to their bodies once both are fully healed. By observation I can tell they tried many spells on him, but what was effective and what wasn't I may never know. Vitus refuses to tell." Giving the woman a smirk Zahra sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the man that refused to leave the room. "So what's your name sir?"

"Khaba miss," he nodded, a smirk coming to the woman's face at the sound of his name.

"Khaba you say?" Zahra chuckled, setting her bag down on the bed before leaning closer with a wide grin on her face. "Then does that mean your son is named Huya perhaps? You owned a placed called the House of Tears before the guards took you away?"

"Y-yes," his eyes widened, "h-ow did you know!? –"

"I was told to find you for information," she sighed and shook her head, "but that didn't do me any good."

He frowned at her words, looking down at the ground and shaking his head. "I'm sorry –"

"Don't worry about it," Zahra smirked, "but let me tell you, I promised your family you would return home –"

"I don't want to leave till I know the boy is safe," Khaba told her, pausing for a few moments before he continued softly. "Y-you see miss –"

"Ranpu," Zahra insisted.

"Yes, Ranpu," he nodded, "he… he took my place once and I… I just want to make sure he pulls through. I'm the reason he had an organ removed. I know what he is. He's a god isn't he?"

"Son of a god or goddess… not really sure," she shrugged, "but yes, you're correct."

"I'm sorry that I told him –"

"It's alright," Zahra held up a hand to silence the woman next to her, "It's not your fault. You end up doing crazy things when you're pressured into doing things you wouldn't normally do, but I wish you will keep your identities secret now."

"R-right," Aurelia nodded, looking to the ground in shame as Zahra looked over at the man before standing up and lifting up his leg.

"… With your leg healing the way it is, you should be well in two weeks," Zahra instructed the man, "but you'll probably have to use a cane of some sort for the rest of your life."

"I'm fine by that," Khaba nodded, refusing to remove his gaze at the woman by his feet. "… Say Ranpu, I was wondering just what are you? Are you half of an immortal like the children here?"

"You could say that," Zahra shrugged, shaking her head as she sighed and stood to her feet, "but I'll be honest, I have no idea what I'm supposed to be. Mortal? Immortal? I don't think I'm either." Chuckling lightly she walked over to her bag, slinging the strap over her shoulder as she pulled out her water skin and drank from the liquid. "No… any sort of living disappeared years ago… with memories I may never recall ever again."

"… May I ask –"

"I'd rather you didn't," Zahra sighed, corking her water skin and placing it back into her bag, "but if you wish for an answer… I… I know I came from a place where thievery thrived, but yet there were many other professions then just thieving. That's just what our village was famous for… As for myself I come from a family of priests that, from time to time, would be high priests and sometimes serve under the pharaohs themselves. Yet… just by spirit or instinct, we are a very fighter, warrior sort of family. Kind if you're friendly to us, but when provoked we won't mind killing someone in an instant. With my family… or what used to be my family… I believe many from my family wandered as traveling priests and priestesses in the desert and maybe farther beyond." Shrugging she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, noticing the interest in the man's eyes as she continued. "To make a long story short I really don't know. If you wish for a name its Ranpu, or Skia Diana if that doesn't suffice."

"I-I didn't know –"

"The spirits," Zahra turned to Aurelia with a slight smile, "they told me."

"They're actually talking to you now?!" she gasped in shock, Khaba watching the two much higher beings as Aurelia stood up and grasped both of Zahra's hands. "Well? What did they say!? Do they show up in actual forms –"

"The Millennium items," Zahra told her, gently getting out of Aurelia's grasp as she gave her a saddened grin, "that's the key. I touched one and now a large group of the spirits have finally taken form… I can see who they are now and they can talk to me without much confusion. But… there are many more that don't have forms yet and I suppose, if I follow that prophecy for myself, I will have to touch and use every other item until they all take shape."

Aurelia frowned at her comment, deciding to ask but knowing the answer already, "So… are they… your family or what?"

"… Yes," Zahra nodded, "but… I don't know. It's more than just family, it's a whole village. Something happened, and I think you know fully well what I'm talking about… I just… don't want to talk about it right now."

"Sure," she shrugged, "I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but Ranpu, for Vitus and my sake, stay alive. I know there's some part inside of you to keep going and kill those in your way, but understand that if you're successful and the pharaoh dies… you will too."

"I know," Zahra sighed and shook her head, "I know, Aurelia, what will happen, but if the spirits rest in peace then that means I can too. That's just how it is, okay? I'm not supposed to be here. I should have died years ago… or better yet whatever had happened shouldn't have come about. That is all."

"R-right," Aurelia nodded, taking a few steps back as she glanced down at the ground.

"Now if you'll excuse me I have another child to look at," Zahra said, giving them a nod as she walked to the door and pried the wood open, "and remember Aurelia, if I disappear at some point make sure your brother stays alive. I worked too hard on the two of you to just let you die without getting into your prime."

"_Of course~ __**that's**_ the reason," Aurelia snorted, a smirk coming to Zahra's face as she gave the woman a wink.

"Hey _that's how I am~_ and there's nothing you can change about that," Zahra chuckled opening the door and walking into the hallway, "and you should know I can get _very~_ protective, so don't end up dying on me either." Aurelia rolled her eyes when she heard the woman laughing, the door closing while Zahra turned on her heels and began her brisk walk to another room.

The very last person she had to look over before she could take a breather. The kid was being kept in the center of the village, meaning she would have to venture through the main streets and through the market place, yet again. This truly wasn't a problem for her, but Zahra simply wished the King of Thieves wasn't running the show around here. If he hadn't she wouldn't have to worry about others recognizing her, but what can she do? Stay away from those that needed her help? Besides, sitting around and doing nothing wasn't her style. Since she was getting fed Zahra didn't have the impulse to steal anything, but even if she did someone was probably watching her every movements now. Sure the little thief king wasn't roaming around the village at said moment, but according to the gossip around the village he will be returning from a raid soon enough. She still didn't understand everything. Why exactly was a small band of thieves ordered into the same town Ihab was in? Was it coincidence or completely on purpose? Either way she ended up losing her prey, again. Noticing a bark a sly smirk came to her face, a large black dog with a diamond brown crest on top of head running up to her and circling around her leg. "Hey look who's back!" a man chuckled, Zahra shaking her head as the dog loyally followed beside her as she patted his head.

"Why?" Zahra snorted. "Did you think I left Ngozi?"

"Oh no, no!" He laughed, quickly looking away once he noticed the unconvinced stare she gave him. "… Okay I did, but it's purely for a good reason! Word is that the King of Thieves will either be back tonight, tomorrow night, or has already arrived and hadn't made himself known yet –"

"And you tell me this _now~_?" she sighed, shaking her head as she walked past him and began to walk around the buildings into an alley way. "Now where's that kid –"

"Kalil where are you?!" a small voice called from the streets, a young boy with short and messy dark azure blue hair looking around till he spotted the dark dog hidden in the alley way. "There you are – Ranpu! Hi!" he grinned happily and gave her a slight wave.

"And there's the kid I was looking for!" Zahra chuckled lightly, crouching down to see eye to eye with the boy as he grinned at her gleefully. "Kalil hasn't been giving you trouble, right Adjo?"

"No," the boy quickly shook his head, "not at all! In fact he's been so nice! Just he took off suddenly –"

"Yeah he tends to do that once he notices I'm in the area," Zahra nodded, running a hand through Kalil's fur before turning her attention back to the boy. "So how's the heart? –"

"Great," a voice came from the end of the alley, a young man with short, messy black hair with dark azure strips in his hair walked over to them, the left side of his hair tied up in a short braid. "So great that he wanted to run around –"

"You know Adjo you should have rested for one more day," Zahra sighed, the boy pouting as the man walked up to them and stood behind the boy, "or at least until I told you so."

The boy looked down to the ground, his bright caramel yellow eyes starting to tear up, "I-I'm sorry –"

"Don't worry about it," the woman chuckled and rustled up his hair. "Just keep that in mind."

"Thank you so much for this Ran –"

"You shouldn't thank me Maskini," she answered, standing up and looking eye to eye into his dark gray eyes, "I just did what I had to do. Though I've been wondering why he was captured in the first place –"

"They had pulled my father from the streets and Adjo was with him," the man explained, running a hand through the boy's head as his little brother looked up at him and gave him a big pout, "and before I could get to them they were gone… and the rest of my family… they didn't stand a chance when those thugs of the pharaoh came by –"

"Akhy, I don't want to talk about this," Adjo grabbed his older brother's arm and tucked on his sleeve. "Can we all do something else?"

"Well let's see," Zahra thought aloud and looked up to the sky, "it's almost dark and you're the last one I have to check up on –"

"Then we should all go drink!" Ngozi threw his arms up and laughed happily.

Zahra looked over at him and narrowed her eyes, "Seriously Ngozi –"

"I'll pay –"

"Great! What's the best tavern here?" The woman grinned slyly, Ngozi's enthusiasm quickly diminishing as Adjo giggled at how excited Zahra suddenly got.

"Well the best tavern in the village is called the 'Sweating Camel', but that isn't exactly a place to bring little children," Maskini explained.

"There's the 'Broken Hawk'. That's right next to us," Ngozi suggested.

Maskini frowned at the thought. "But… if the thieves find out who Ranpu is –"

"Don't worry about me," Zahra snorted, "and no one will care anyways. Besides that's where you're currently living right? I can check on Adjo's wounds and get a drink at the same time."

"Then it's settled!" Ngozi laughed and ushered the younger, taller children out of the alley, "We'll have a drink to celebrate our health!"

! #$%^&*()

Zahra narrowed her eyes, her back against the far wall as she glared at the men in the tavern that continued to glance over at her every once in a while. Some were merely looking over since she was the only woman in the tavern, but other glances were looks of suspicion and Zahra didn't like their stares at all. "So Ranpu," Adjo began to ask, sitting next to his brother as the four people sat around a circular table in the corner of the bar, "if you don't mind me asking, why take the time to save me?"

"Oh?" Zahra thought aloud, her glance slowly looking over at him and then gave him a slight smile. "Simple really. I had broken apart the ceiling of the prison and everyone had already escaped. If I had known you were alive someone would have probably grabbed you at some point –"

"Yeah, but _why~_ just me? Why go back for me?" Adjo pouted, Ngozi and Maskini glancing at each other before slowly looking over at the woman and wondering what she'd say.

"… You screamed for help," Zahra shrugged while she set her elbow on the table and placed her head in her hand, "and the fires hadn't leapt up through the prison yet so I decided to see if I could get you out before you turned into a burning crisp."

"Oh," Adjo blinked, looking to the table before giving her a smile. "Well thank you! No one I've ever met would have been _sooooo~_ awesome as you were right then."

"Awesome?" the woman raised an eyebrow.

"Yes!" the boy giggled happily, "Awesome! You leapt through fire and knocked down a door. You jumped out a window and fell two stories! How awesome is that?!"

"Woh wait, you were awake for all that?" Zahra looked at him questionably.

"Y-yeah… I guess I was," Adjo shrugged. "I was in and out of consciousness so I don't know… but I remember that you had grabbed me and I was scared. You saved me! It was great!"

The woman smirked, Ngozi chuckling loudly as Maskini stared at his brother unsurely. "It's nice to know being saved was **great** for you," she grinned at him. "So what's the plan Adjo? Any big dreams?"

"I want to be like you!" the boy pointed to the woman, Zahra tilting her head to the side as he giggled happily, "But I don't know what you do. So that's a problem?!"

"Yeah what **do** you do Ranpu?" Maskini decided to ask.

Ngozi looked over at the woman, narrowing his eyes and wondering what she'd say. "Well let's see…" Zahra poked her chin before leaning back in her chair, glancing at them until the beverages were set down on the table. Ngozi filled up a cup and shoved it over to the other side of the table, the woman gulping down the beer in one swift glug before setting the cup down and waiting for another. "What I do varies on where I am," Zahra decided to say. "Sometimes I'm just walking around looking for something to do and other times I'm just trying to survive."

"B-but what do you normally do?" Adjo decided to ask, "Like… you know? For a living?"

"… I… don't really have a standing income," Zarha chuckled nervously. "I actually don't know how much money I have in my name right now, but I normally call myself a thief or an assassin for hire. That's my main jobs I suppose, but as I say I do other things."

"Woh! An assassin?! Cool!" Adjo's eyes lit up, Maskini rolling his eyes as he shoved a cup full of milk his way in an attempt to keep his little brother quiet. "So you fight people!?"

"Every other day, if they get in my way," Zahra shrugged, filling up her cup before slowly drinking down the beer this time and setting the cup back down on the table.

"Maskini does too!" Adjo smiled happily. "Akhy, didn't you say you're a 'work for hire' too?"

"Adjo," the older brother frowned and gave his younger brother a warning glance, "let's not talk about what I do." Zahra and Ngozi looked at the young man with interest, his eyes shifting at the two of them before he sighed and glugged his beer, setting the empty cup on the table. "Okay, it's true, but ever since my family was wiped out what can I do? Starve?"

"That's how I think," Zahra nodded in understanding. "Did you join because they showed up or because you have some abilities?"

"I begged," Maskini confessed, filling his cup up with beer, "and I knew that if I didn't go with the bandits I would end up dead. I was already stealing to keep myself alive. No one wanted to hire me. So what else could I do? The world is a cruel place when you're alone."

"Yeah," Zahra nodded again, "cruel." She chugged her beer before refilling her cup up again, Ngozi waving the bartender over and ordered another pitcher of beer.

"… How can you possibly know?" Maskini snorted, looking into his cup and watching as the liquid made patterns as he moved his cup back and forth. "You're just a woman –"

"Just a woman?" Zahra snorted. "I'm _**more~**_ then just a woman. In fact do you want to know something? I have more money under my name then you could _possibly~_ imagine. Probably more than the pharaoh, frankly."

Maskini and Adjo blinked in confusion, though Ngozi glanced at her with a smirk on his face. "Wait. You're rich? But didn't you just say you're a thief –"

"I am," Zahra huffed and glugged down her beer, slamming her cup on the table and clutching it between her fingers, "but that doesn't mean someone can get lucky."

"H-how –"

"I am lucky because I was saved," Zahra narrowed her eyes, causing Maskini to sit back in his chair and stare at the back of the wall nervously. "Trust me kid, I know what it's like to walk this earth all alone without any place to call your home. Eight years I've been away from Egypt and I wouldn't mind being gone for another eight… I guess…"

"… What happened?" Maskini decided to ask, Adjo glancing over and slowly sipping on his cup of milk.

The woman let out a long, tired sigh, thinking to herself as she thought about what she'd say. "… What do you mean little thief?"

"I mean what happened to you that made you so cold? Why did you leave Egypt? Just… what makes you think I'm off any better then you are?" Maskini frowned.

"Well," Zahra thought, looking off into the distance as she revisited old memories, "I was found in the desert one day with burns all over my body. A nice young lady picked me up, along with her two children, and I was raised by them for a few years. Sadly I don't remember anything from back then… or if I do it's mainly nightmares, which can cause me to scream in the middle of the night whenever I go back to that time."

"I don't think nightmares are a big deal –"

"Think about dreaming. Your mind is blank, there is nothing there. That's how I spent my life for the first year I was found," Zahra huffed, "and to be honest I doubt I'll remember everything… My dreams… usually happened like so or at least the ones I'd wake up from on a daily basis: The place is dark and I can barely move. I'm screaming and trying to get out. Yet around me and even above me I can hear people screaming bloody murder, crying and sobbing, and evil laughter. Sometimes I'm not trapped and I'm running away from something, but I see blood all over the walls of buildings and fresh crimson colors mixed into the sand. I scream, but my screaming is silent and no one can hear me because they're all trying to get away… from the spears… and the swords… and the soldiers…"

"… That's your nightmare?" Maskini frowned, Adjo looking at the woman wide-eyed as Ngozi stared at the woman with a look of sincerity on his face.

"I heard that you dream like that," Ngozi decided to comment, getting the woman's attention, "but I didn't know… it was graphic."

Zahra looked at the man and gave him a smirk, shrugging and looking down at the cup she was clutching tightly in between her fingers. "Yeah… well I don't talk about it much… only if I end up waking up in the middle of the night screaming and I need to come up with an explanation."

"Does it happen all the time –"

"Every other night," Zahra shrugged. "If I'm asleep it's every single time I'm able to rest for a long period of time. Just now a days I don't scream as much as I used to… because I'm used to the screaming. I only wake up startled if something is different. A new dream or the images are different and perhaps coming from a different perspective," she sighed deeply, her nails scratching the wooden cup as she thought. "Yeah…" she chuckled lightly, "It's been there for so long I barely think about how graphic everything is… but that's what I dream and sadly I bet that's how my family died."

"… W-wow," Maskini commented. "Just… well I saw my family die too, you know. What makes your nightmares any different from my own –"

"This isn't just a few people," Zahra narrowed her eyes and snorted, "I'm talking about a whole village. Dead bodies everywhere, blood everywhere you eyes glance. Sometimes, if I'm able to see everything to the end, there's this place… underground… and it's dark…" She paused, staring off into the distance deep in thought, shaking her head as she grabbed for the pitcher of beer and refilled her cup quickly.

"Wait, what were you going to say –"

"It's not important," she huffed.

"Yeah it is," Adjo imitated her huff, Zahra looking down at the boy with a blank expression on her face as he gave her a worried look in his bright caramel eyes. "Come on miss. Please finish. I'm not scared, h-honest."

Gulping down all the alcohol in her cup she set it aside, letting out a deep sigh as she closed her eyes tightly to get rid of the images. "… This wasn't just a raid of bandits; there was more to it than just that… There were priests I've believed, but that could still mean anyone… and they corralled everyone into our worship place… I know that because I remember my mother and I would go there every day to pray," she explained with her eyes shut. "They… there was this pot where the altar had been and… screaming everywhere…. And… they were corralled like cattle," she shuddered at the thought, "and forced to go down there. There was such a high concentration of evil that I felt my heart was being constricted and I couldn't breathe. I felt sick. Because… because…"

"Because what?" Maskini asked quietly, everyone at the table looking intently at her as the woman kept her eyes tightly closed.

"Because… they wanted to melt our bodies and feed our souls to this… evil… creature," Zahra shuddered, her eyes slowly opening as she gazed down at the table. "They kept saying we were scum, evil, thieves… but… we weren't evil at all. **They** were. The guards stared at us with blank-less expressions. They kept saying something about shadow powers… they killed us all for power." She looked up, glancing at Maskini, her jaded green eyes filled with so much sorrow that the boy felt overwhelmed with her emotionless stare. "If I ever make it to the end of my dream, I find myself being thrown into the pot and screaming in pain. I feel my body melting and my flesh burning off… that's what I see before I wake up."

"That… makes no sense," Maskini frowned. "I mean, how can that happen? Did you say you were found in the desert? If you were thrown into the pot wouldn't you have died?"

"Yes," Zahra simply answered, "your right. It makes no sense, right?" The woman chuckled lowly, a gulp coming out of the young thief's mouth as she continued. "It makes what you've seen a lot less painful, doesn't it?"

"W-well –"

"Is the story true?" Adjo asked with curiosity, Zahra looking over at the child before she let out a deep sigh.

"… I don't know," Zahra confessed. "While I was here I kept trying to find that answer. Eventually I gave up. I had no leads and how could someone else know what happened? The soldiers that showed up were possessed. The priests… well why would they say anything? Does that make my dream true?" She asked the question to herself, narrowing her eyes at a cobweb on the wall as she looked deep into the contours of her mind searching for an answer. "… Only a few people really know what I was talking about," she chuckled lightly, "but before they could tell me they usually end up dead for one reason or another. I don't ask for that reason… but from I understand I believe it's all true. At least… I believe I lived in a village when I was a child. I believe I was taught to be a thief. After all I knew how to fight purely on instinct and I always had an intuition to steal items from stands. I also think I was brought up to be a priestess because my adopted mother insisted I study and, for me, everything came naturally. Just… I don't know kid. Even if I lost my memories that doesn't mean I should just stop everything I'm doing because of simple dreaming."

Adjo pouted, noticing the woman didn't want to say anything else on the subject, but Maskini wanted to keep prying at her thoughts and get to the root of her logical reasoning. "But… I've never heard of a place where only thieves lived. Sure the King of Thieves runs this village, but it doesn't mean there's a place where thieves live in a community –"

"There used to be," Zahra sighed and shook her head. "I know because I've been told. There was a hidden place called the Village of Thieves that only thieves and bandits knew about. Only certain thieves knew of this place and everything was kept secret, for fear of being found out by the pharaoh. I heard once that there was an oath someone had to say and when they got there the place was similar to that of the city of Thebes. Not at a grand scale with a palace, but there were those in charge and those who simply worked. The village was very quaint and what kept them alive was the determination of its main inhabitants to keep everything together… I believe there was one main head thief, but there were many other powerful families that would take over if he proved to be weak. Still the villagers worked for themselves, not for the pharaoh. There was a strict 'no pharaoh' policy and they governed themselves. It was a place of refuge from persecution of the outside world… and if you could make it there, from what I heard, then you had connections to the most powerful group of thieves and many others in the arid deserts. Without this connection you are considered nothing and had no promise to the riches and splendor that would come with protection and security from the pharaoh."

"… What happened –"

"They disappeared," Zahra shrugged. "Just one day, out of the blue, everyone disappeared. At the time the country had a crisis because of foreign invasion, but in only a few days anything that had to do with that village disappeared. This old man told me himself that he had a son who ended up in this place and wrote to him every other day on what he did, but all at once he was cut off from his son… no one knows what happened to them."

"So… you believe they were all killed?" Maskini commented.

"Yes," Zahra nodded, "maybe. Maybe there's more out there, but I've given up on finding anyone or anything for years now. Plus I doubt it'll do me any good to seek this group out, so why bother on the matter? I have other priorities and finding the village isn't one of them… but it was at one time, when I was trying to find my parents, that it was my top priority."

"… What changed?" Maskini asked.

Zahra paused, grabbing the pitcher of beer and filling up her cup to the brim. "That… is another subject I don't like discussing –"

"D-did something bad happen Ranpu?" Adjo pouted.

She gave the child a crooked smile before chugging all the beer down her throat, hoping the buzz in the back of her head would help her tell the story. "Well…" Zahra sighed, shaking her head as she set the cup down and began again. "… I already told you. I got adopted, technically. Just… my mother wished for her children to be priests and she wanted me to achieve that status too… but… that wasn't for me. I already knew everything I needed to know. As I glanced at books she made us read I realized I had memorized each passage at one point in my life, a spell or chant that was hidden in my memory until it showed itself to me on papyrus. I had realized that being a priestess wasn't my goal in life, being a thief and a warrior was. The spells and chants I could do in my sleep, keeping myself alive was another thing. I knew my way around a bow and arrow," Zahra smirked at the thought, "and, when I was a child, I went so far as to steal from rich man houses from time to time. Yet there wasn't any challenge to this and I kept searching for more than mere pick pocketing. I needed a thrill… and I found that by robbing from pyramids and tombs."

"Wait, tombs?" Maskini snorted. "That's no fun –"

"On the contrary," Zahra grinned slyly, "it's a challenge to get through a pharaoh's pyramid without getting killed within the little death traps that lurked all over the place. Every pyramid is different, every tomb is different. Just… you could say for some reason I like keeping close to the dead." She chuckled lightly, "Yes… the dead… nothing to do except wait for eternity. First you have to get inside, next you have to avoid all the traps. Then think about this, doing everything in the dark."

"The dark?" Adjo asked with curiosity on his face.

"Yes kid," Zahra smirked, "the dark. No lights, just the quiet noises around you and the small cracks of light coming from above. I trained myself to move through pyramids that had mainly been ransacked centuries ago and come out without any scratches. There are hidden sounds you wouldn't notice if you're not by yourself, lights and winds that can point you in a right direction and you wouldn't be able to see if you have a torch. That's why, once I figured out every trap I could find in every pyramid I practiced in, I went on to other challenges. The triggers set in the homes of many noblemen are similar to that of the pyramids. More elaborate tombs have a more sophisticated system of triggers that I had seen in the more primate tombs. In other words the pharaoh and anyone else who places traps in their tombs are only improving on design, or in some cases, turning a perfectly good design into complete mush since traps and triggers decay over the years and when you use certain materials will increase the rate of decay."

"Wow," Adjo dropped his mouth slightly, "I-I didn't know there was so much to simple tomb robbers."

"Yep," Zahra smirked. "If you wish to be like me and if you want to be a good thief, you need to know your way around every sort of thievery imaginable. Stealing from houses, pick pocketing, prying open locks and bars without being suspected, fending off guards, stealing from tombs, mugging travelers by yourself… yeah… there's so much out there that I may not have done everything myself," she chuckled. "Like, apparently there's this one person that I heard about that can rob people by using bats. How odd is that?!"

"Bats!?" Adjo gasped. "Woh!... W-what's a bat?"

"What guy are you talking about?" Ngozi decided to ask.

"Ummmm… what's the name?" Zahra shook her head, trying to come up with the name. "… Called… Barkweed, from what I believe. Uses the elements of nature to his advantage and is a fellow head merchant and thief friend of mine. Lives in the forests across the sea, so I doubt anyone here heard of him lately –"

"Oh I have," Ngozi chuckled lightly, "but you're right. He's the type of guy who would never come to such a desolate place like Egypt. He thrives from the trees and the forests… he uses bats?"

"Bats, owls, birds of prey in general," Zahra shrugged. "Also uses wolves, raccoons, snakes, rodents, and sometimes cougars. It's hard to train a big cat, any cat honestly, so he usually doesn't use one of those unless he's forced to."

"Hes!" Ngozi snickered. "What a guy! You just find anyone in this little organization, don't you?"

"Yep," Zahra chuckled and slowly drank her beer, "you come into contact with a _few~_ weirdoes, that's for sure." Adjo snickered at Zahra's comment, Maskini smirking as she looked at Ngozi innocently with a slight grin on her face.

"So have you met the Dawn Rose?" Ngozi decided to ask.

"Her?" Zahra blinked a little before shrugging. "Of course I did. I was technically in her territory after all and got her permission to stick around for a few months. Actually funny story," she chuckled lightly and leaned in closer so Ngozi could hear, "her name was originally the Dawn Burner, but after I was there for a while she decided to change her name."

"Woh **she** is the Dawn Burner?" Ngozi's mouth dropped. "R-really? Are you kidding me?!"

"Yeah," Zahra shrugged as if his questions were ridiculous. "Dawn Rose, Dawn Burner, similar don't you think?"

"Yeah but –"

"What's the Dawn Rose?" Adjo decided to ask.

"Her?" the woman thought and refilled her cup and slowly drank her beer. "… Well she's a warrior, that's for sure. She's an assassin for hire and her signature method is burning her enemies in some sort of elaborate way. Pretty gruesome stuff. I've watched her do it a few times too."

"So why is she called the Dawn Rose?" Adjo asked another question.

"That's simple," Zahra chuckled lightly, "she decided to settle down."

"Settle?" Adjo looked at her confused.

"You see our jobs are pretty demanding, but the person that keeps tabs on my whereabouts doesn't really care what we do in our free time. So from time to time you could say people retire, usually either from major injuries or they want to settle down and have a family. That's what the Burner did," she shrugged and sipped down the beer, "she settled down with a lad and now they have… I believe three children now with one on the way? I don't remember. I haven't heard from her in a few years."

"It's four kids with one on the way," Ngozi told her, "but now that we're on topic, thinking of settling down yet, little Diana?"

"Me?" Zahra huffed. "Perhaps," she shrugged, Ngozi blinking and staring at her confused, "but I haven't found anyone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Plus with my luck I won't be around for very long if I **did** stick around with someone. So… no. probably not."

"That sucks," Adjo pouted, Maskini staring at his brother shocked as Zahra gave the boy a smirk.

"It does," she chuckled, "but that's life right? Besides I'm still busy. I haven't had time to rest since I've started up in this group –"

"W-what group?" Adjo decided to ask.

"… You know I don't really know," Ngozi looked to Zahra for help.

The woman shook her head and sighed, "We're just a group of misfit merchants. That's really all there is to it. The most important and influential ones are what we call 'head merchants'. They're the thieves, assassins, and whatever else that they're used for. We're at the top of our game, you see, and only get famous if we do our jobs well and with such precision that we end up getting nicknames from the places we've worked at."

"H-how did you start –"

"The head of the organization found me in a crate," Zahra shrugged, Ngozi snickering as Maskini stared at her intrigued. "He threatened to sell me as a slave if I don't come and work for him. I proved myself one day and saved his life, so instead of making me some house servant or harlot he had me train to be a soldier and warrior."

"That was **you**?!" Ngozi's mouth practically dropped. "They said there was a girl that Daleel was experimenting on to see if she'd be a natural assassin."

"Yep, probably me," Zahra sighed, "but it's not like it was difficult. He just wanted to see what I'd do and in less than a year later I was out doing missions."

"Less than a year? Even I think that's too short Ranpu," Ngozi pouted.

"Well that's how it works," Zahra huffed, "and I'm glad I got out into the world as soon as I do. I wouldn't know a lot about myself nor be as good as I am if I wasn't forced to do that."

"I see…" Ngozi frowned. "So you were still a child…"

"Technically no," the woman sighed, "I was an adult at the time. Young, but still an adult. Now you want to know who's a head merchant at such a young age? That new name that I've heard about… the Lion's Shadow I believe."

"You mean the Leonis Umbrae?" Ngozi thought aloud.

"I guess," Zahra shrugged.

"I-I didn't know he was a kid –"

"Only ten years old. Unbelievable huh?" she chuckled lightly, "but apparently possible now. Yeah, I saw his fighting style a few months back. Daleel made me go to Italy for a few weeks and I saw the boy's moves. He has a lot of strength, but he still needs to work on technique."

"Wow… the Leonis Umbrae… first time I heard about that," Ngozi chuckled lightly. "Probably because of all the merchants end up dying."

"People always die," Zahra snorted and finished the beer in her cup, "and there's nothing a person can do about it except let those things happen… Say Adjo it's starting to get late and I'd like to do some stuff tonight. How about we go check your wounds now so I can get going?"

"S-sure Ranpu," Adjo nodded, the two men watching as the woman and child stood up and scooted out of their chairs.

"I'll be down here for a while Adjo," Maskini told his brother, "but you stay in the room, alright?"

"Okay!" the boy grinned, Zahra giving the men a wave before walking out of the bar and finding the stairs that led up to the various rooms above.

"… What exactly do you guys do?" Maskini asked Ngozi, who sat back in his chair and smirked at the young thief.

"Trust me boy, you don't want to get involved," he chuckled lightly. "Once you're in you can never get out. You'd have to travel to the ends of the earth to escape our organization, but don't be discouraged. Just realize that you were talking with a major legend here."

"I am?" he asked questionably.

Ngozi smirked deviously, the boy leaning over the table to hear what the man had to say. "It's simple really, but I suppose this sort of gossip doesn't get to the ears of simple bandits," he chuckled lightly. "She's known as the Skia Diana: the greatest warrior in Italy, the Shadow Huntress of Greece, the Cursed One of the Egyptian Gods, and here… apparently she has the title as the Queen of Thieves."

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: Well that was a bit of a filler chapter, but whatever. Now we can progress onward! =D And I don't know if those three head merchants I described with show up again. We'll see ;3 And I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you later!**

Adjo – Egyptian – treasure

_akhy_ – Arabic – _my brother_


	33. The Deafening Screams

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Hey guys! This may be my last chapter for a while because I sort of have my head wrapped around another fanfic story. Don't worry though, I'll probably post more again, just I want to spend my time on a different story. Who knows, I may post more next week or something, but just a heads up that I'll be working on something else. In the meantime I hope you guys are getting your finals in order. I know I am! DX One more day on Monday and I'm done, done! Just have to write up one more paper and do two quizzes and I'm done… I think I'll do the final paper on Monday because I'll have a lot of time then. Anyways I hope you enjoy this next chapter and if I don't hear from you later, MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY BREAK! =D**

! #$%^&*()

_Large jaded green eyes glowed in the shadows, a small glimpse of light glowing in a sea of infinite darkness. She shuddered as she clutched her hands into fists, closing her eyes and praying as her feet subconsciously began to step backward. "E-every night…" Zahra shivered as she fought back tears, "E-very single n-night…" Whenever she slept, whenever she closed her eyes, dark ghosts and evil spirits plagued her dreams until she forced her eyes open. It was the only way the spirits could speak to her without any use of powerful magic, but it was terrifying. New memories would emerge from the shadows, old memories plaguing her thoughts as she tried to escape their grasp. They wanted her, they needed her, and the only way to get rid of the nightmares was to kill herself… but she's tried. Oh how she's tried. Multiple times has Zahra tried to destroy herself, even using the worst types of shadow magic to do so, but yet she always ended up waking up in the middle of the desert or forest, her body stitched back together and the wounds healing. She couldn't take the pressure, but there wasn't anything else to do. The only way to rid herself now was to fulfill their wishes… but to die… for real? _

_Zahra didn't know what was worse anymore. All she knew was that she didn't want to lose anyone else and to finish her journey in the land of the living she will have to kill her own family. "I-I can't," she shook her head, thinking of the two siblings she had grown up with ever since she was found, "d-on't… I-I can't do this. I can't!" Then she felt herself being thrown and tossed around, even though all she saw was an infinite dusk of darkness. The only light around was coming from her own body, but even so Zahra could only see a few mere inches in front of her face. Oh how she loathed this part, unknowing where she was going and what they were going to do to her. Even if she told her body to wake up it never did, filled with too much fatigue to let her wake up from her nightmares. No, she'll have to bare it and she'll have to wake up knowing exactly what the spirits wanted her to do… each and every night… for the rest of her live… in this land of the living. _

"_Kill the pharaoh~ **Kill** him –"_

"No, shut up_!" Zahra yelled in the darkness, the voices speaking all around her as she moved her body and tried to catch sight of the spirits. "I can't –"_

"_Kill the followers~ Kill the pharaoh –"_

"_Oh gods, I can't!" Zahra kept yelling. "I can't! I can't! Can't! Can't! They're my family –"_

"_Aren't weeeeee~ your family –"_

"_Are you?" Zahra huffed, "Because if you're any family of mine you wouldn't pressure me to do these senseless things!" Noticing they weren't commenting back she went on. "I won't do this! I won't! If I can't have a choice in the matter I won't do it –"_

"_You have had a choice –"_

"_No, not really!" she yelled. "I had to escape you! I jumped on a boat in the hopes of escaping your constant corruption! I just want to have my own choice in the matter! Why can't you give this to me?!"_

"… _Zahra –"_

"_No you listen here, whatever you spirits are!" Zahra cried out, tears starting to steam down her face. "I have worked for eight years to better myself, but now you want me to throw everything I have done away? If you're truly my family you would understand that I'm so… so confused right now!" She shuddered, holding her hands to her face trying to fend off the water straining down her face, "You don't understand me! You never have and never will! I was close to happiness, did you know that? I was going to settle down with someone, but nooooo~. I ended up coming back here and now I'm stuck here forever. Forever! I don't want to be stuck here forever!"_

"_Zahra –"_

"_Please… for the love of the gods, please… l-leave me alone…" She shuddered, keeping her hands over her face trying not to see._

"Zahra, listen_," a firm voice responded in front of her, gently grabbing her hands and slowly placing them down. _

_She shuddered as her hands were placed by her side, her eyes shut tightly as she tried to submit her emotions deep inside of her. She slowly opened her eyes, the look in her jaded green eyes showing off fear as she stared at the visible spirit in front of her. "A-abbi?" Zahra asked, a smile coming to the spirit's face as he ran a hand over her cheek and pushed back a stray strand of black hair. _

"_Zahra, my little bin'nt," he grinned, grasping her head and kissing her forehead. "My child~… please listen to us… we mean you no harm –"_

"_N-no you do –"_

"_Can't you see how much we have worked to get this far?" Seker sighed, gently rubbing her shoulders as he stared down through his chocolate eyes. "You… you don't understand… that you're not the only one who went through the pain. You don't know… what happened…"_

"… _A-bbi?" she gulped, reaching up for his face and rubbing his cheek with her thumb as tears slowly began to appear on her face, "W-why… then what happened to you?" He looked down, avoiding her gaze as more tears were shed down her face, "Tell me… Tell me! –"_

"_No," he huffed roughly. "I need to protect you –"_

"_From what?" Zahra sighed in frustration, "What do you need to hide me from? Zorc? I already know what he is and what he does to you. My memories? I've seen the terror of our village dying every night. What can you be keeping me from –"_

"_The horrible power… of the hatred you'll feel, when… you see… what happened to us," Seker tried to explain, the woman staring at him with worried eyes as she tried to grasp the whole situation. "Please… one is already lost in the darkness; we can't have another lost again."_

"_Wait," Zahra huffed, "Who?"_

_The spirit began to disappear, Zahra's eyes widening as she began to lose her grip on the man's face. "We… mean you no… harm… Zahra~… Zahra~~…"_

"_Wait abbi!" Zahra cried out. "Who?! Whom do you mean?! Please tell me! Oh gods, please!... Oh please tell me…" She began to cry, tears streaming down her face as her world suddenly turned black and_ she woke up with a startle. "Abbi?... Abbi?..." Zahra blinked in confusion, a relieved sigh escaping her mouth once she realized she had woken from her dream.

"Are you okay?" a voice came from the side of the room, Zahra giving him a slight smile as she sat up and ran her hands through her sweat drenched hair.

"Yeah… just another dream," she explained, setting her feet on the ground and beginning to shuffle around for her things. "I'm fine Orion," Zahra huffed, looking at the man as he stared at her through unsure eyes, "don't worry about anything."

"Then where are you going?" Orion asked, watching as the woman gathered her things and began to slip on her shoes and tie a black cloth around her waist.

"… I need to think about something," Zahra explained, looking over and giving him a smile. "Only for a few hours. I just… need to think… and I can't do it here."

"Be safe," he nodded, a smile coming to the woman's face as she wrapped a cloth around her shoulders and covered her face except for her bright jaded green eyes.

"I will," Zahra nodded back, throwing her bag over her shoulder and quickly walking out of the room.

! #$%^&*()

"Thanks Ghal," Zahra patted the musky black horse on the nose, the stallion looking down at her and snorting at her comment. "Hey don't give me that," she chuckled lightly, "you're getting mad at me all of the sudden? What's up with that?" The horse let out another snort, nudging the woman in the shoulder and causing Zahra to move to the side a few steps. "If you wanted to stay in Greece I wouldn't have cared –"

The woman paused, the horse letting out a neigh before walking uncomfortably close to her face and staring her down through dark, angry burgundy-brown eyes. "… Fine I get it," Zahra sighed. "_Sorry~_. Perhaps you shouldn't have let Daleel get under your skin… and I know you've missed me," she chuckled and gently petted his nose, "… and I'm sorry I left you behind at some point… it's just you wanted to stay and I didn't want to pull you away from your home –"

Ghalib let out another snort, but he kept his head bowed so the woman could place her hand on his nose and scratch his hairs. "I understand," she sighed and scratched the top of his nose, "but I've told you more than Orion even knows. Can't you see how much those voices or spirit things are deteriorating my brain? I have to figure this all out Ghalib –" She chuckled, the horse snorting before lifting up his hind legs and letting out a loud neigh. "Okay I get it! You're on board too!" she laughed happily. "So… go gallop around or something. I'll just be in the cliffs down there."

Snorting the horse took off, leaving Zahra all by herself a good distance away from the village of Ra-To next to the rocky cliffs. Taking her movement one step at a time she descended down into the canyon, eventually jumping into the small cave she had been staying in earlier and sighing as she leaned back against the rocks and looked up at the ceiling. The walls seemed wet, but that was understandable. It had been raining constantly for days now, but soon enough the days will get long and hot again. "… Okay Seker," she called to the walls around her, her eyes narrowed as she waited for the spirit to hear her, "let's talk about this –"

"_Why should I talk to you~?_" a voice came from the left side of her body, Zahra glancing towards the door to see the tall spirit with short indigo hair and a long braid on the left side of his face. "_You wish to push us away_ –"

"Actually all I really want is the truth," Zahra huffed back, her jaded green eyes narrowing to look straight into his darkening chocolate eyes. "I want to recover my memories… and I want to know what happened to everyone." She sighed as she slipped her hand under her dress, Seker eying her as she pulled out her dagger and stared at the elaborate designs on the handle and along the blade. "… If I'm truly your daughter you know how I think. I don't like to be kept in the dark about these things… I want to know everything even if it hurts me. Why take the time and place myself in danger for you? Why should I be a full-fledged priestess? Why should I stop everything I have been doing, let Ihab be as he torments other poor souls, just to fulfill your wishes?"

"… What you ask of me… you will not like the answers," Seker commented, watching stoically as the woman snarled before snorting at the soul and turning her head away.

"That doesn't matter," Zahra huffed. "I don't think for myself anyways. I can tell that Diabound won't tell me what happened… that task falls upon you –"

"If you wish to have your questions answered you will have to see the last remaining scenes of our memories," Seker told her. "Every being that is trapped within the Millennium key… and only then will we truly let you be… and we can finally rest until we are called upon again. This is how it is with the rest of the items… but you won't come down to this notion till you've gained the souls' trust."

"So be it," Zahra sighed and shook her head. "So be it… because every time I close my eyes I see myself die. If those dreams are true… then I know what to expect. People dying and screaming everywhere. I'm not foreign to your words Seker… abbi. I know what I want and what I need. Perhaps this isn't want you want, but I know that I need to know these things in order to continue forward. So please Seker… please give me the insight I need to see those last parts of your memory."

"Then… close your eyes and concentrate," the spirit instructed, Zahra closing her eyes and flinching when she felt a gentle, but firm hand set itself upon the top of her head. Her world turned dark, the only feeling she felt was the hand upon her head. Then, over what seemed like eons, the hand disappeared from her head and Zahra was left without a guide in the darkness. "_Look~_" she heard the voice say, Zahra slowly opening her eyes, but quickly flinching away once she realized where she was taken.

_She was standing in a small little house, hidden in the crevices of the rocks on the outskirts of a village. Her village… she was home. Two people, as clear as day were waiting anxiously for something, the room illuminated in the glow of candle lights as they waited for someone to show up. One was a man, the man she recognized to be Seker, the other was a woman in a beautiful white gown, long brunette hair and bright sea green eyes. Zahra didn't know who she was, but she knew that the woman was familiar… perhaps her mother? Just then she heard yelling, the man's head snapping up as he looked out the door and wondered what was happening. Zahra gasped as she looked out to the sands, hearing the hoof beats of horses and men dismounting with a loud cry escaping their throats. "Where's Zahra –"_

"_Ummi!" a small voice cried out, a little girl running out of the rocks and grabbing her father in a tight hug. In a swift motion the man pulled her inside, attempting to secure the door as the woman grabbed her in a tight hug._

"_Oh, my Zahra-Suteki!" the woman chuckled happily, but the girl tried to push away and explain what is going on._

"_Abbi, ummi, there's a group of soldiers out there!" the girl explained, her bright jaded green eyes tearing up as the woman tried to comfort the frightened child. "T-they… they feel evil and possessed… I-I think they wish to kill us –"_

"_We don't have much time," the man said, pulling the child from her mother as the girl began to scream and her mother let out a startled gasp. "Zahra, you go into the tunnel first. I don't want you to look back, even if you hear us scream."_

"_Y-yes abbi," Zahra nodded, though tears streamed down the girl's face as her hands left the woman's and she was pried away by Seker. _

_In hast, the man pushed the girl into a secret passage way, closing the rug over the hole in the wall and then stood in front of the hidden tunnel. "Now you next –"_

"_No!" the man huffed and glared at the woman, "I'll stay with you –"_

"_If I go or if I stay… I am not supposed to continue living," the woman explained, gently grabbing his fingers and giving him a slight smile, "and I want to stay with you. I love you for all the work you had done for me and my child, but more of all I love you for you. I love you because of how great I see you. You're better than any god. You are a god among mortals."_

"_It's too late," Seker chuckled, kissing the woman's hands as he stared at her with sorrowful eyes. "If you don't go now you won't be able to stay with your bin'nt anymore –"_

"_I already knew this would happen!" the woman yelled at the man, tears streaming down her face. "Her father told me in a dream! I just… I know Zahra will make it out alive. **We** won't… I love you." _

_Seker cracked a smile, grabbing the woman into a tight hug as he refused the shed any tears. "I… my gods, I love you too –"_

"_There's more in here!" they heard a guard yell from the outside, Seker ushering the woman to hide behind the bed as he grabbed a sword that was beside the bed and stood ready. Like a swarm of rats the guards broke down the door and rushed towards the man, Seker letting out yells as he fended off the possessed men till he was thrown aside and the woman was discovered. _

_The woman let out a terrified scream as she was pulled roughly from the corner and thrown to the center of the room, Seker letting out a yell until he was shoved roughly into the wall. He snarled in anger, keeping his back against the rug and hoping they didn't notice the hole in the wall. "Now let's not leave here empty handed," one of the soldiers chuckled evilly, Zahra's eyes widening as she watched the woman get thrown halfway onto the bed and her clothes ripped from her body. _

"_No!" Seker cried out as a couple of men held him down, "You let the woman go –"_

"_Shut up," the guard snarled and stabbed her father in the chest, Seker's eyes widening in shock as he groaned and clutched his chest in pain. Zahra just realized something, the evil look in the man's eyes, the hair and body structure the guard had. Yes… this was Ihab! Ihab was here?! He killed her father!? "I'll keep you here **just** so you can see your beloved get raped by all of us," he laughed, pushing the guard aside as the woman fought underneath the man and began to cry in fear. _

"_You bastard –"_

_Seker was punched in the gut, blood splattering out of his mouth as he stared in shock as the man put his hands on the woman. "NO! No, don't touch me!" the woman cried, the man's eyes slowly blinking closed as he tried desperately to keep away and push the guards away from him. "DON'T TOUCH ME! AAAHHHHHHH! –"_

Then the scene went blank, Zahra breathing heavily as she blinked in confusion and tired to process what happened. "… U-ummi?" She coughed, her eyes splitting open as she lay on the ground of the cave and gasped for air. "Ummi? Abbi?... Oh gods… Seker w-hy?" she began to cry, tears streaming down her face as she tried to process everything. "H-how could… d-did they kill her?"

"Yes," Seker appeared beside her, looking out as a thin ray of light began to shine into the cave. "She was killed several minutes after myself."

"… You took care of me," Zahra responded, trying to block the images she had just seen as the spirit looked down at her.

"That's correct –"

"Why?" the woman insisted, Seker letting out a sigh as he slumped down onto the ground and ran a hand through his hair.

"Your mother… oh she was a great woman, a real fighter," he chuckled lightly, "and rebelled a lot, just like you have." Zahra looked at the spirit unsurely, the soul trying to place a hand upon her shoulder, but the hand disappeared into her skin and he flinched away. "… I confess, I loved your mother deeply. I still do… but… some things happened and your mother is truly sorry for everything that transpired. She wished for you to live as a young girl should and I taught you everything our priestly profession had to offer. You… you are my child Zahra, my bin'nt. I love your mother and I love you. I just wish you could understand why we insist you fulfill the job you have been given… so we can _all~~_ rest in peace, you, your mother, us… everyone."

"… I… still don't know," Zahra frowned. "There is still more to this, isn't there? What about the other souls that are trapped? Aren't there others I should see?"

Seker narrowed his eyes, his face turning dark as he stared at her with dark chocolate eyes. "… To do that you may go crazy from the deaths you see. Many died that night Zahra. You mustn't trouble your heart with the other souls that passed –"

"No," she huffed, "It is my duty to know. If I am to go through with these demands I want to see why you souls can't move on… why I'm here instead of being dead with you… and why the pharaoh could order such a thing. Just… why? Why kill everyone in cold blood like that?"

"… I'll get the others," Seker instructed, Zahra giving him a nod as he turned and vanished in the light. Then she began to break down, tears streaming down her face as she let her sadness wash over her body and pressed a hand upon her mouth in an attempt to keep her sobs and weaknesses muffled.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

"… Z-zah?" a voice whispered in her ear, the woman cracking an eye and looking up at a small child who had long, straight un-kept black hair held back in a ponytail. He gulped, his dark green eyes staring down at the woman as she lay down on the rocks trying to calm herself down. "If… if you're too scared I could just leave and come back later –"

"That's fine," Zahra huffed, "so you know the questions: what's your name and how do you know me?"

"Ummm… my name is Teremun, or Ter Ter is what you called me," he chuckled lightly and scratched the back of his head, "and I was a priest-in-training too, but your family was of a higher class then me."

"Oh?" she tilted her head to the side, intrigued that there was an actual ghost that may be able to give her the information she searched for. "You are? Then tell me, did I know anyone else? Did you like me or something? Oh here's a good one! How was I when I was a child?"

"Well… I don't really know till the recent," Ter Ter confessed, sitting down beside her and letting out a tired sigh. "I knew about you, but your father was very protective. I was actually the first child that he let hang out with you, but yet I was always chased away once all was said and done. It was after you came out of the shadows for a while that my parents died when they were visiting a town, so your father let me stay and I was taught by him ever since. After a while myself and my brother moved back into our old home and I've known you ever since. You as a child… I-I don't really know," he shrugged. "You were quiet, timid, but after you talked to Ak a lot you stopped being so quiet. In fact you became really loud and confident in yourself. You never looked for fights, but when you fought you always pummeled the other opponent. Also, when your father taught us lessons and we went to the temple, you knew exactly what to say and how to say everything without having to ask for help. You knew the prayers and were the best among us… so I highly admired you after a while."

Zahra smirked, chuckling lightly as she looked up at the ceiling before looking back over at the boy. "Wow… you admired me, Ter?... So… who… is this Ak? Is… is he there with you?"

"Ak?" Ter chuckled lightly and shook his head, "Actually he's –"

"Teremun, we have a few more souls to get through," they heard her father's voice, Zahra rolling her eyes and Ter letting out a tired sigh.

"Right," he chuckled lightly, "sorry. Ummm… Zah, will you mind –"

"Go for it," Zahra nodded, sitting up and running a hand through her hair. "Though, I hope we can continue this conversation some other time."

"Well once you've freed the trapped pieces of our soul perhaps we can," Ter smiled, scooting next to the woman and pressing his ghostly hand on her forehead. Zahra shuddered as she felt a chill go down her spine, closing her eyes as darkness surrounded her until her mind began to show her images from deep inside Teremun's mind.

_The landscape was simple, the village infused in the rocks with children sitting on top looking up at the starry sky. The night was calm and the air was light, but Zahra knew soon there would be a great disturbance from afar. The children joked, laughed, and Zahra couldn't help but smile at Ter's grin at her little self. There were other children there among them, a young boy with bright blond hair and brown eyes punching a young boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes. A young girl with brunette hair and crystal blue eyes grumbling under her breath as she tried to stop the other two from fighting. And lastly there was a boy sitting next to little Zahra with short, messy white hair and amethyst eyes, laughing at the two boys as Zah giggled and snuggled into his shoulder. That boy… he seemed familiar, as if she had seen him before currently… but where?_

_Zahra couldn't quite recall, but by their laughter she could tell that this was her small group of friends. A small smile came upon her face, until a look of worry came upon her features at what was bound to happen. Then it did. The hooves being heard off in the distance, the children jumping to their feet as little Zahra began to get hysterical. The boy with white hair seemed to be in charge and had the group disperse, Teremun running as fast as he could to his home hidden on the east side of the village. He had some time, but he didn't have too long. In haste he grabbed his younger brother from his sleep, barely giving him time to wake up, and ran for the edge of the village. The woman cringed, watching as the guards on horseback caught up with them and stabbed Ter in the back, the boy flying out of his arms as he cried in pain. He was roughly grabbed by the back of his ponytail and pulled backward, telling his brother to run as he tried to pull away. _

_Zahra slowly followed, her eyes filled with worry as the guard dragged the boy to an underground door. Reluctantly she followed, shuddering as Ter was thrown into a group of people and they all cried out in fear. "What's going on?!" someone yelled in anger, the man instantly letting out a yell as a guard stabbed him in the side._

"_Be quiet!" the guard yelled, Ter putting a hand over his ears so he didn't hear anyone curse. The sounds became muffled and everything became blurry, but Zahra could still pinpoint what was going on. _

"_Oh… my gods," she shuddered, trying to close her eyes and move away, but a force pulled her back, prying her hands away from her face as she let out a frightened cry. Zahra looked in horror as bodies began to be thrown into a boiling pot, the people letting out screams as others tried to scramble away. Those who tried to run got stabbed, Ter being pushed around as the world got blurry around him. Without noticing he ended up at the front of the group, he let out a cry as he was grabbed by one of the guards and thrown into the pot. Zahra screamed as fire consumed her vision,_ letting out a gasp as she stared at the rocks and looked to the side. The sun shone into the cave, but the woman shifted away from the light and further into the darkness. "_Pharaoh~~_" she hissed an anger, "_why~?_ Oh Teremun, I-I'm sorry. Please… I-I'm sorry… **so** sorry!"

)(*&^%$# !

**A/N: Yep. A bunch of bloodshed. If you don't know what those scenes are about… well you haven't been paying attention to the story XD Anyways what's going on is every single spirit that is trapped in the Millennium key is revealing their memories to her. Teremun is one of many spirits trapped in the key, and I never said only ninety nine souls were killed. Ninety nine were made into Millennium items for sure, but in the anime you see skulls and bones as Atem and the other priests are walking into the village. So I assume that there were many more that were killed and they used ninety nine bodies to fuel the Millennium items… well okay that's it. This was a major part of the story so I hope you understand it and if you don't go ahead and comment! I won't mind! =3 And I hope to see you guys later, and SEE YOU LATER!**

Ghalib – Arabic – conqueror, victor, winner

_ummi_ – Arabic – _(my) mom_ (personal possessive)


	34. The Exposed Relatives

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: My goodness! There are still a lot of chapters to post up! ^^' So here's the deal. My mind is flip flopping mainly because of the fact that I'm mostly at home being bored so I had changed my choices of fanfics I'm writing. Yet I have a lot of chapters for this story (more than 10 chapters that are written, but I haven't reviewed them yet) so it'll take me a while to post them. Thus I'll post the next chapter to this story for now and maybe if I feel like reviewing a chapter later I'll do so =3 And thank you to everyone who reviews. Anyways I hope you enjoy and I'll see you at the end! =3 (because at this point I don't even know what I wrote here ^^')**

! #$%^&*()

Zahra groaned, her eyes slowly peering open towards the front of the cave. She had been sitting in the dark for a whole day now, but now that the spirits had showed their stories she slept for the rest of the night. Only for about three or maybe four hours, but hey it was better than nothing, she supposed. Yawning and stretching her arms she staggered over to the entrance looking down to the river. Water. She was thirsty. Groaning she sat back down, running a hand through her hair as she began to breathe heavily. The events she just witnessed… about twenty people… maybe fifteen. She lost count after the fifth memory. Memories of screaming and terror… fire and rage… and yet she survived. She survived till the near end… ninety ninth… a scary thought. Was there more that survived? It sounded as if there were… but no one who spoke to her saw living people. They were all wiped out or they were cornered before they died. Some were thrown into a vast pot and boiled to death, others were stabbed and their bodies probably dragged. If her calculations were correct there should be fourteen souls trapped in the Millennium key, but she saw much more then fourteen… meaning there are more than ninety nine bodies trapped in the items. Many more were killed then needed, but probably not thrown into the pit and sacrificed. Just to be killed…

She shuddered at the thought, crawling over to her bag and pulling out the water skin. Zahra analyzed the scenarios over and over again. They weren't thieves… they were guards. Not just any guards. Their clothes were cleaned at certain points, meaning they bathed regularly. They had gold around their neck, but what were even more significant were the images. In one memory a woman and pulled off the jewelry to stare at the necklace before her neck was severed. It was a brief moment, but that was all she had to work on. Pulling out a sheet of paper and a feather, she crawled back over to the drawing she had made on the ground. Luckily it was still visible, so she had a lead. Using her blood as ink she drew an image onto the paper, sighing happily once she was done and sitting back against the rocks. "About time I get back," Zahra mumbled under her breath, looking out and watching the sunlight dance at the entrance of the cave, "but it's still early," she groaned in disgust. Whatever. She was tired. She should get going… and now that she came to a decision she should leave the village before the so called King of Thieves came back.

Hiding her face behind a black cloth she slung her bag over her shoulder, sighing again as she climbed out of the cave and up onto the ridge. No one seemed to be there, but there was a lot of noise coming from the village. "Probably a party," she thought aloud, shaking her head as she heard Ghal running towards her and stopping a few feet away from her. "That _king~_ is probably back, huh?" Zahra huffed, smirking when she heard the horse snort and climbed onto his back. "Well let's get going Ghal. There's somewhere I'd like to go and plans you'll probably like to know about." Tussling his hair the black stallion took off towards the village, slowing down so they could sneak in through the back and hope that no one had spotted them.

Turning around and making sure no one was following her, Zahra slipped into a tavern and made her way to the rooms. Once she came to a room at the end of the hall she knocked on the door, a faint smile coming to her face once she saw Orion opening the door. "Finally you're back!" he chuckled and grabbed her in an embrace, the woman inviting the man warmly as he pulled her inside and closed the door. "I thought you just left. You were gone for a whole day –"

"Yeah I'm sorry," Zahra shrugged, pulling the cloth out from her mouth and throwing her things onto the nearby bed, "but I got caught up in… something."

"Something bad?" Orion raised an eyebrow.

"Something… related to the spirits," she decided to say, sitting down on the edge of the bed and flop her head on the bed. "I have to go do something and then I'll get back to grabbing Ihab –"

"What'll that be?" Orion decided to ask. "I mean… let's see… does this have to do with the spirits too? If so why? What happened?"

"… They showed me… things," Zahra sighed and shook her head, looking at the wall as she felt him sit down on the other end of the bed, "and… I know what happened. I just… have to do something. I want to… protect those spirits because they protected me for so long. Plus if I do this I'll be able to heal everyone faster and have some sense of control over my powers again –"

"You're talking about the contract thing, aren't you?" Orion pouted, shaking his head once the woman looked over at gave him a nod. "Well… I can't stop you," he chuckled lightly, "but come back here in one piece. I'll wait for you here for a week or two and if you don't show up I'll leave."

"Okay," Zahra nodded, "sounds like a deal. I just wanted to tell you that… and make sure you tell anyone else who asks that I left and plan on coming back. Depending on the person, of course." She smirked at him, lifting her head and running a hand through her hair. "I'll probably go to the city of Cynopolis. There's a great temple there dedicated to Anubis and my soul is pulling me towards there. I'll make the pact there. Then I'll go after Ihab and if I survive I'll return here. Sounds good?"

"Good enough," he smirked, "but I'm wondering why you don't want to show your face around here –"

"Bakura," she snorted, "I'm on bad terms with him."

"Oh?" Orion chuckled lightly, Zahra rolling her eyes as she stood up and went to a mirror to look at her attire better. "_What happened~?_"

"I raided a pyramid and I got in his way," she chuckled triumphantly. "Actually I got in _everyone's~_ way, that's probably why I have that name as Queen of Thieves, even if I'm not associated with that king guy. Secondly he seems beefed about that, so I'm just avoiding him as a procession. Lastly he asked for my help a while back… but I don't want to take him up on his offer."

"He did?" Orion narrowed his eyes, Zahra quickly noticing this as a smirk came on her face and she quickly fixed her clothes so she looked somewhat well dressed. "What did he say?"

"I think I should just tell you everything," she sighed and shook her head, fussing in front of the mirror as she continued. "I ran into him in the pyramid. He was planning on robbing the palace, still is, but I got to the palace before he did with a large group of villagers. We ran into each other in a village, a wedding and party, and he seemed mad that I took his earnings. Yet he pops out of nowhere while I was in the middle of investigating this situation asking my help on… the pharaoh. He wants me to use my powers against the pharaoh. He will pay me, but yet… I don't feel like helping him on pitiful matters."

"I understand," Orion nodded in understanding, "plus you don't know what he's intending. You don't know what the man will do to you, and from the gossip that goes around we have a pretty good idea what he does with women."

"Exactly," Zahra snorted, walking over to the edge of the bed and grabbing her bag. "So I think it'll be best to avoid him all together. I have too many crazies on my tail. I don't need another one scoping me out and trying to force me to do things against my will."

"… Who recently –"

"Well there's a few, but I lost track of how many," she shrugged. "I haven't been killing all of them off. Not smart, I know, but they're usually easy to avoid. Just now… if word gets out that I'm here… I'm going to get in trouble."

"Like that militant group that goes after half-gods?" Orion suggested.

"Yes," Zahra huffed, "them. The… Mortal Protectors I think their name is?"

"Something like that," Orion shrugged, "and they're after anyone, both good and bad. You ran into them?"

"Several times," she sighed and shook her head, grabbing some food from a nearby counter and eating what was left. "Started after I helped those Three Celt Brothers in overthrowing that noble. The group caught wind of goddess help and went after me. I've been laying low from them ever since."

"Well that was… six, five years ago?" Orion questioned her.

"About," Zahra nodded, letting a sigh escape her lips as she drank down some of the beer before walking over to the door. "Anyways I should get going. I'll see you later?"

"See you," Orion nodded back, watching as the woman left and he chuckled as he begun to shake his head. "Oh gods," he chuckled before letting out a tired sigh and closed his eyes, "what'll I do with you, kid?"

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Zahra let in a big breath before exhaling deeply, calming herself down as she clutched her fists and stood in front of a large temple with massive columns made of marble and stone next to a large black statue of a sitting jackal. "I'm… not sure about this," she pouted, turning her gaze over to the whiffed presence next to her. "I don't even know who he is. What if he orders me out of his sights? How can I get initiated if that happens?"

"_You must try~_" the voice whispered back, a light heavenly voice that brought a smile to the woman's face, yet she couldn't see or know the spirit's name yet.

"… Your uncle?" Zahra asked.

"_Yes~~_" the voice answered back.

"… W-what's his name?" the woman continued to ask.

"_Apries~_" the quiet voice told her, "… _Apries~ Ranpu~~, high priest of Anubis at the temple of Cynopolis_."

"… Then –"

"Kid," another voice interrupted, this time on the opposite side of her, causing Zahra to turn her head and jump to the side with a slight startle, "stop stalling. _Go~_, now, before you _run out of time~~_"

Zahra snarled and looked back at the other spirit, noticing it had disappeared. Looking back to her other side she noticed that spirit had disappeared also, grumbling under her breath as she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Damn it Seker," she mumbled under her breath, "this can't be as easy as you say… but I guess I have no choice now… I hate when that happens." Biting her bottom lip she closed her eyes, opening them to stare at the entrance with determination in her bright jaded green eyes as she stepped forward and made her way up the stairs into the temple.

The place was large, painted in various colors of blacks and blues with statues and images of Anubis and jackals everywhere. Prayers written for the dead and protection of the building were written on the far walls, as if to ward off any evils that may enter the holy place. The temple wasn't as big as the temples usually dedicated to gods like Horus and Osiris, but the place still hold much luster in various black and silver items. Yet there was the unnerving smell of death as she neared the center of the temple, a beautiful smell that Zahra couldn't help in closing her eyes and letting in a large whiff of the scent. Opening her eyes she noticed a few of the priests looking at her with unnerving glances, but she brushed them aside as she continued to walk carelessly around while a priest or two ran off to talk about the intruder. The altar dedicated to Anubis was made out of stone, a black cloth on top with several eerie candles on top. The woman slowly took her time as she inspected the stone, noticing the engravings and recognizing a very important symbol right on the back. She quickly took out the dagger hidden under her dress and looked at the engraving on top, smirking when she pressed her hand to the engraving on her dagger and then the much larger one on the stone. "A symbol indicating a priest of Anubis," a voice commented behind her, Zahra glancing over, but not yet turning her head.

"Yes it is," Zahra chuckled lightly, sighing as she gripped her dagger tightly and stared down at the familiar symbol. "Something I should have recognized long ago."

"Oh?" the man smirked, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for the woman to turn around. "Is that so? Why should you recognize this? It's only a symbol given to families who have been under the care of the god for many years or you've worked for several generations under the same temple for the god, Anubis. How could you possibly –"

"Here," the woman said, flipping her head around and pushing her black hood off of her face as she turned to face the man. She raised an eyebrow and watched as the man's eyes widened slightly, but only just slightly as she handed the dagger in her hand so he could see the markings. "This is something I've had on my person for years, but never knew what it meant."

"_Well~_ perhaps I can help you," he chuckled, his rusty golden eyes looking up at the woman before looking down at the dagger he grabbed into his clammy hands, "I've been working at this temple for many long years. I've studied many inscriptions…" The man paused, staring at the item curiously as he noticed the shape and other strange symbols on the dagger. Zahra watched as he ran a shaky hand through his sharp dark brunette hair that had faint strips of white seeping through his hair, the man looking up at her before looking down, back up and looking down again. "… Are you… a Ranpu?"

A smirk came to the woman's face, a chuckle escaping her lips at the sound of her last name. "Yes," Zahra smiled, "why do you ask –"

"Come with me," he said with sudden urgency, "it's not safe for you to be out and about like this. We must talk in private." Zahra raised an eyebrow, but did as the old man said as she flipped her hood back over her head so no one would notice who she was. They took several different turns, making their way into the private quarters of the priests and even further into the back where only privileged priests were allowed to pass. Along the way she memorized the landmarks she passed, planning escape routes just in case she had to make a run for an exit. "… I haven't seen these symbols in a long time," he chuckled lightly, getting the woman's attention as she quickly caught up with the man and walked side by side with her hands clutched lightly behind her back. "… My brother was the only man who I saw with these exact same symbols, well except for the name I suppose. I don't really know these letters, but I recognize the last name here. Is this yours?"

"It's been with me for years now," Zahra smirked, the man turning into a room and closing the door behind her. The room she had walked into was well lit, several desks with books cluttered everywhere and a window or two along the walls. "I expect you give my dagger back to me if you're done –"

"I have several questions I want answered," the man huffed lightly, sitting down on a chair and staring at the woman with unsure eyes. "I wouldn't expect a Ranpu to show up out of the blue, let alone be grown up with a dagger quite like this. So where do you come from? What's your name? Who are you parents –"

"How about this," Zahra snorted, not liking his sudden questions as she leaned against the wall and glared at the man through hardening eyes, "You tell me **your** name first. Then I'll tell you what you wish, because I also have questions that I came here to have answered –"

"The name is Apries Ranpu," the old man continued, "high priest of Anubis. I am one of the Ranpus left alive. Though there is a small family and a few old people like myself who have this particular last name, I haven't come across a young child like yourself in many years. So tell me, do you have family? Are there more of you about –"

"That's the thing," Zahra sighed, slumping against the wall as she stared off at the window, "I do not know if I have family, let alone if I'm the only one. I came here to get questions answered about my past, and seeing as you recognize the dagger I'm assuming you know where I come from."

"That will be correct, but I do not know where this place is," he told her, Zahra raising an eyebrow as Apries shook his head and noticed the woman's confusion. "My brother… we went down separate paths. He married a woman, whom had our last name, and went to live in a place hidden away in the desert as our ancestors did before us, but I had moved into the city to become a high priest. He sometimes showed up and he showed me the dagger his father-in-law created the day he was married, with his name and his inscriptions on the dagger like so. So yes, I heard tales of this place, but he never showed me nor told me where it was."

"… My mother," Zahra began, looking at the man to make sure he was done before looking up at the ceiling and letting a tired sigh escape her throat, "she… had run away from home before the incident occurred. I heard everything that happened Apries, I know what happened to all the Ranpus. That's why I thought I reached a dead end, but then I heard from a reliable source that there is a living Ranpu here at the temple. Since I know I'm descended from a priestly class I figured this would be the best place to start, and apparently it was," she smirked happily, the man giving her a grin as she continued. "I… do not know of my village. That's why I've been searching high and low. My mother… her name was…" She paused, looking down and biting down her bottom lip as she tried to recall the name. "It is…" but nothing came out of her lips, a frown coming to Zahra's lips as she tried to say some sort of name.

"-" Zahra suddenly said, but the words weren't her's. She didn't hear the name, but apparently the man recognized it, his eyes lighting up at the sound of the name as a spirit spoke through her lips for a few more seconds. "- Ranpu, that is the name."

"A-and my father," she continued, though there was hesitation in her voice after having her words manipulated by a spirit, "is a man called Seker Ranpu, though he had replaced his last name with my mother's and only adopted me."

"Seker… yes… I think I know that name," Apries nodded. "So where are they?"

"Dead," she answered bluntly, the sparkle in the man's eyes fading until she continued, "but not the way you think. Not because of the order against the Ranpus. No… they thought we were dead and we stayed in hiding. They died because my village was burned to the ground and its inhabitants killed in the blink of an eye… that's what happened. That's how they died."

"… I overhead that my brother was killed in the city," the old man sighed heavily, his eyes full of sorrow as he continued. "He had looked for refuge and wanted to contact me. The last thing I had gotten from him was a note. It told me that he had left his village so the place wouldn't be discovered… but I see now that it was indeed discovered by the pharaoh and his court of priests. I regret the prophecy… but on that day I wasn't truly speaking. It was as if something was speaking through me, probably the god Anubis warning or exclaiming that the house of the ruler will soon fall. If I hadn't said anything I wouldn't be this lonely… at this guilt… it won't go away."

"I sometimes have the same feeling," Zahra sighed and shook her head, her eyes turning to the man as she looked over at her dagger, "but there's nothing you can do about it. What has been done has been done. All you can do now is move on."

"… Perhaps it's you who's supposed to fulfill the prophesy?" he asked with a slight smile, though the woman shook her head with a dissatisfaction on her face.

"I didn't come here for that," she huffed. "I came here because I need to become a full-fledge priestess, but not just that. I wish to take the initiation today –"

"But that's highly unorthodox," Apries snorted. "You haven't done any training here and you're just a woman. If you're searching to be a priestess go to a temple for a goddess, not a god –"

"You do not know of the training I have done," Zahra snarled under her breath. "I have worked for years learning from great experts in their trade. It's my father who had come to me insisting that I become a full-fledged priestess. Technically I am, but it's never been official," she smirked, "and this will help me, apparently… Yet if I'm given a hard time I'll just leave. I'd rather not draw attention to myself as I usually do. So? What do you say?"

"… What do you mean father –"

"You are a priest of Anubis, no? You must know of the rites of the dead. Thus, what are with these questions? Spirits that have no other place to go come to me and in turn I lead them to the end of the road into the afterlife to be judged. That's my job, it's what I do… it's who I am," she told him, taking in a deep breath as she continued. "Believe me or not, that's up to you. I'll give you the rest of the day to decide. If I notice you call upon a group of soldiers and guards I'll leave you, forever. It's as simple as that."

"… But I have yet to understand what you mean, "Apries frowned. "Spirits, t-hey can't still be around, right? They move on. The soul should move on once someone dies –"

"Even with a funeral rite conducted by you priests it doesn't mean a person's ka leaves their ba into the afterlife," Zahra snorted gruffly, turning her head away and looking out through an open window. "There is a road in between, a path of trials and shadows everyone must go through, everyone. Even if the living pray, even if you're righteous of heart, you must still take the trials. You cannot bypass them with prayers and spells like you think high priest. Actually with many attitudes that circulate its frown upon if a spirit appears with many spells weighted upon their body, yet is a unrighteous and a dishonorable man. I dislike them, Anubis dislikes them, and sometimes we simply throw them right to Ammit," she smirked, noticing the old man's going wide as a chuckle escaped her throat.

"You wonder how I know? It's the same reason why I'm here today. I know something you won't know till you've died. I've seen what happens to souls if they wander away from their intended paths. How? That's for me to know and you to find out," she snickered under her breath, "and there's not much else to tell you except for one thing… If you wish to find out whom I really am to decide if you'll help me or not, I go by several names: Cursed One of the Egyptian gods, the Shadow Huntress. My main name, Skia Diana. The one you may know, which in my opinion is a rather false name, Queen of Thieves." Zahra paused, noticing the blank stare the man gave her. So she walked to him and he flinched away in fright, the woman letting out a snort as she grabbed her dagger from him and turned to walk away. "Do as you wish. I expect an answer by nightfall. I mean you no harm, but realize that you'll be the only one who can perform the rites for me. If you don't then I won't be a priestess. So be it. It wasn't my idea to be one anyways," she huffed, opening the door and about to walk out. Apries grabbed her arm, staring at her intently through golden eyes. She stared back just as intently, but fear and confusion wasn't noticeable in her own eyes. Yes, she was confused and fearful about what was to come, but she had trained herself to hide away those sorts of vices years ago. It was simply a cold heartless stare, waiting for the man to reply.

The old man hadn't realized he had stopped the woman till she pulled away, shaking his head as he regained his consciousness and gave her a slight smile. "You…" he chuckled lightly, continuing to shake his head as he laughed lightly to himself, "You're just as stubborn as your grandfather, do you know that?"

Zahra paused, taken slightly off guard as she chuckled nervously at his sudden comment. "Is that so?"

"I'm guessing my niece had grown to be mighty stubborn herself," Apries smirked widely before sighing and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Child, I know this must be important for you, but whoever you are and where you came from you must understand my hesitation. If the pharaoh finds out about a Ranpu running around it'll cause alarm. The man that had tried to kill us all will be back again –"

"And I will be ready," Zahra snorted, gently pulling the man's hand away as she stared at him with a hard glare. "You're right, I'm stubborn, and I'm a natural born fighter too. That is my trade, I live to fight, and you and anyone else won't be able to stop me. The Fates have steered me in one direction and I've been avoiding them for years now, but when I made the journey back to Egypt I knew what I was getting myself into. I've realized my destiny. I just haven't fully accepted it yet," she smirked, patting the man on the shoulder before slipping out of the room and holding the door open with her hand. "Soon... a child of the Ranpu family will rise from the slums of Egypt to take over the kingdom," Zahra told him lightly, Apries' eyes widening as her grin only increased. "The man that killed us will be punished and I'll personally do this myself, however I doubt his family knows about the deeds he has done. If they are revealed then so be it, but realize granduncle that there are many evils in this world. What derived from your prophesy isn't your fault… it was the gods' fault in giving the prophesy to begin with," she snorted. "If I am that child… maybe I am. If it's to be someone else then fine. I don't care. I am only a survivor and that's what I've done for years now. So don't assume I am to bring the dynasty to their knees… I am capable of doing so, but that's not my top priority. Now if we are done with the conversation I am leaving. I will see you at nightfall," she finished, letting the door swing close behind her and leaving the man standing prostrate and watching the woman leave down the hallway.

He sighed, running a shaky hand through his hair as he shook his head and chuckled lightly to himself. "My gods," Apries mumbled, walking back to a chair and sitting down, "I should have listened to you the first time, Anubis. What is to become of me now? You are right. The child who will bring down the pharaoh has appeared before me on this day, but now what am I to do?" He paused, a chuckle escaping his throat when he didn't get an answer. "Of course you won't tell me," he snorted, "you never come to me anymore. I am just confused. Who is she? Is she all human or… something else? –"

"_I am glad you have opened your heart to me~_" a voice came from the shadows, Apries' eyes opening wide as he stood to his feet and quickly knelt down on one knee. Sharp teeth smirked from the shadows, a black hand appearing out of the darkness to tilt the man's chin up so his golden eyes could stare deeply into deep, powerful sapphire eyes. "I never answer because you've closed your heart from us since _that day~_"

"I am sorry, my god –"

"No reasons for apologies," the being snorted. "Now… what do you wish to ask me?"

"… Oh, my god, Anubis," Apries mumbled under his breath, low enough so no one would hear him, yet loud enough so there was a sense of authority in his voice, "show me this woman for who she really is. I ask, who is she? Whom is she really? She doesn't seem real… she shouldn't be around anymore. Give me the strength to see her for everything that she is –"

"_Everything~?_" the being smirked, a chuckle escaping his lips as he let go of the man's chin and slipped back into the shadows. "Do you even know what you're asking –"

"I have placed my full-hearted faith in you since I took my pledge," the old man continued, his gaze falling to the ground as he continued. "I wish to know who she is. I want to know who she is –"

"Well," Anubis sighed deeply, his mind deep in thought, "if it will convince you to help us or perhaps run away I see no reason in stopping you… Fine." He huffed lightly, "I will show you all that she is, but don't say I didn't _warn you~_" he chuckled, a faint black haze circling around them while Apries' eyes widened in shock as he was pulled deep into the contents of the darkening shadows.

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**A/N: Oh wow. This is actually a good part XD Well I hope you enjoyed the story and that you've been enjoying your break. I'm sorry that I haven't been posting the chapters as much as I should, but I've been busy writing other fanfic stories that this story is on the back burner. Hey, I have a bunch of chapters written so I might as well start posting, at least, one of them. Anyways I have a reviewer I need to comment to, but other than that I hope you guys have a great break!**

**RE to Ghost reviewer from chap 11:**

**You know I have no idea why I don't have more reviewers. Probably because the yugioh arc has died down over the years. I remember about 3 or 4 years ago I had written an OC story to yugioh on this site and got a lot more reviews, but hey if I get at least one review once in a while it'll keep my going =D**

**And you know I'm glad you like my story so much. That's exactly my point! Violence back in ancient Egypt wasn't condemned as roughly as now. Sure you may die, but it's the philosophy of an 'eye for an eye' and a 'tooth for a tooth' sort of thing. And thank you for liking my OC. I've seen horrible OCs and sometimes my own OCs are badmouthed, but if one person likes how I write them then I guess I'm on the right track ;D**

**Anyways, I don't know if you'll ever get around to reading this chapter and reading this review, but I'm just happy that you like it and that I have people out there still reading my story =3 Even if I don't post them as frequently as I should ^^' But anyways I love to get reviews, so thank you Ghost reader for reviewing my story and I hope to hear from you again =D And as always SEE YOU LATER! And enjoy the rest of your break!**

Apries – Greek – the sun enlarges his heart


	35. The Priestess Initiation

Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

**A/N: Meh, it's been a while since I posted anything so I figured I would. I hope you enjoy this next chapter and please comment! I have no one commenting for this story and that's probably why I haven't been posting anything ^^' So… yeah. To at least know who's still reading this ;3**

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Slowly golden eyes peered out through the darkness, Apries squinting his eyes while he tried to see what was ahead of him. He walked slowly, his movements staggered, hoping to run into something, anything that could tell him where he was going. He looked around. Anubis had left him and the darkness had resided around his body, but oddly enough he saw shadows off in the distance moving around he went towards them. "The gods will save me," he began to tell himself in low mumbles, praying that his words were true. Suddenly the ground began to rumble and a large claw ripped from the shadows, a loud roar sounding throughout the darkness as the object came towards him. Apries' eyes widened and he took off in a run, trying to get as far away from the creature as possible. "Gods save me! Anubis come back!" Apries pleaded, but nothing appeared as the claw grabbed hold of him and began to squeeze the living daylights out of him.

"**That's enough**!" a loud booming voice came from beside them, the old man's eyes widening in shock when he was suddenly let go and dropped down into the shadowy pits below. He didn't know what was scarier: the voice of divine power or the monster that had grabbed him. Looking over he gasped, seeing a bright light coming out of the darkness and towards them. He backed away, but the monster beside him emerged out of its lurking place from the shadows and let out soft whimpers as it bowed its head to the shorter creature. Whoever this was he shouldn't trifle with their powers. Perhaps it was Anubis and he had come back to save him, but the voice wasn't as rough. Rather the voice of a woman, which he quickly realized to be while a large black cape with various stripped colors of light blue and white fluttering behind the woman in the wind, and her features became clearer while she moved closer to them. "Black Dragon, what did I say about devouring priests like that?" she snorted, her bright jaded green eyes peering through the darkness to stare at the creature bowing before her.

Then Apries watched in awe as the monster began to dissolve, his eyes widening to see a child of young age morphing from the beast with bright blonde hair and red eyes that quickly dissolved back into a normal color of brown. "I-I'm sorry," the boy pouted, "but he came out of nowhere! What was I supposed to do –"

"Perhaps **wait** for me before you start eating spirits… again," she snorted, a smirk coming to her face from behind the large black hood she wore over her face. "_Besides~_ I thought your mother taught you better."

The boy huffed back. "_Zahra~~_ we're _bored~_. If you won't help us whom will –"

"How about you stop giving me a reason to come back to this realm and then maybe I can get your vengeance in motion," the woman snickered. "You're always giving me a reason to come back while I'm in the middle of conducting business. First it was that small tribe of a dozen men, and then it was those demons I sent down here from Miletus. How can you expect me to get any work done if you're constantly causing me problems, little dragon."

The boy pouted, Apries raising an eyebrow at the insincerity in the boy's voice even though he was obviously in the presence of a goddess herself, "_Sorry~~_… did… did Seker and Teremun and –"

"Yes," the woman nodded, "they escaped the powers of the Millennium key as did every other soul trapped with the key's evil grasp. If you wish I can do the same for you **if** you tell me which item you are trapped in."

"Ummm… that I don't know," the boy shrugged, "but all I know is that it's very powerful and a very evil item."

"Well they all are –"

"But… but this is different!" the boy snorted. "The item I'm trapped in is derived directly from Zorc itself. That's why I'm always losing control of my ka. It's very hard to keep in control," he huffed, "but… I know you're trying your best. Just we're getting rather impatient."

"As I've told you I've decided to brand myself to our village," the woman told him.

"R-really?!" the boy gasped in awe, "I didn't know! I have been running around for eons now. I haven't been back at our safe encampment for a while because I was worried I would hurt other spirits."

"Then let's take you back," the woman smirked, pushing on the boy's back and directing him into the shadows. Then, out of nowhere, a thin path of light illuminated a path out of nowhere, causing Apries to become astonished. "… Well," the woman snorted, turning her gaze to the man staring confused behind them, "come on Apries. I don't have all day for you." Noticing that she had called his name the old man hustled to follow beside the goddess, the path disappearing behind them while the path in front of them stayed lit for a few short feet in front of themselves.

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"She's back!" a spirit called back to the others, the boy giggling as he ran and latched onto the back of another spirit.

Turning around Apries' eyes widened, a man who looked similar to the boy except he was obviously older and had larger muscles then the boy walked up to them, or preferably the woman. "There you are!" the man chuckled lightly, the boy giggling while he was thrown up in the air. "Why did you run off this time –"

"I-I couldn't control myself," the boy pouted, "so I thought it'd be best to leave –"

"Nonsense," he huffed, "we help our own son. Now let's see… little Ranpu how are you?"

"J-just fine," she gave him a slight nod, Apries noticing the humility the goddess displayed before the spirit. "Ummm… how's everyone here –"

"A bunch of spirits disappeared without a trace ages ago," the man sighed, shaking his head as he set the boy down and rustled up his blonde hair, "but we do not know if a creature of darkness got a hold of them or they simply went missing –"

"I touched the Millennium key and I felt their souls leave this place," Zahra explained, the man's eyes widening while the boy clung to his knee listening intently to the conversation. "They are in the living world with me… trapped here still in the necklace," she told him, holding up the jackal pendent around her neck as the green gem glowed intensity. "Once I finish what I came to do they will be back to join you with abilities to control their kas and able to find their way into the light of the afterlife without myself having to guide you anymore."

"I-I see," the man pouted, "though I guess that's a good thing… you know I'm still trapped –"

"You all are," Zahra sighed, "and I intend to free all of you before deciding what I'll do next –"

"And what'll that be?" a voice came from behind them, Apries turning his head only to stare widely at the spirit coming closer to them. It was the spirit of a man with a large build, tan skin, messy dark brunette hair, and dark amethyst eyes until they came upon the woman. Then his eyes lit up, various colors of purple streaming in his eyes while he gave them a devilish grin.

"Oh it's just you," the other man huffed, letting the boy shuffle around beside his leg while he took a step between the spirit and the woman, his brown eyes glaring as the boy gulped until the taller man let out a low chuckle. "What?" the blond haired man snorted, "What's funny –"

"Your face," the dark brunette snickered, the man narrowing his eyes and snarling while the boy giggled slightly before scurrying away and hiding behind Zahra. Then his gaze turned back to the woman's, Zahra letting out a tired sigh while she ran her hand through her hair and slipped off her hood. Apries' eyes went wide. It was the woman who had showed up only a few minutes previous. Yet she looked different… she wore silver bangles had had a silver crown tied on her forehead, which she untied and tied around the black cloth wrapped around her waist. The woman gave the other man a smile, though he could tell there was a hint of sadness hidden beneath her eyes. "So what did you mean –"

"After I'm done with all this I want to leave again," she exclaimed, the boy letting out a gasp while the other man narrowed his eyes and the man standing in front of her frowned at her comment. "I have no other reason to be here and it's only to free your trapped souls from this darkness. After that… well I might as well leave, right?"

"… Do as you wish," the dark brunette haired man snorted, "I don't care."

Zahra pouted, noticing how hurt the man was, "But –"

"I just thought there was more to your return I suppose," the man sighed, pausing and scratching the back of his head while he looked at the small encampment and huffed. "I guess I was wrong…"

"… I'm sorry –"

"Don't worry about it," he chuckled lightly. "I suppose this is understandable… but you plan on completing your initiation as a priestess, correct? After all your father told me you will –"

"I will as long as this man right next to me agrees to do so," Zahra huffed back.

Apries took a step back as the spirit of the amethyst eyed man drew closer, staring him down as a large grin lay plastered on his face. "Hmmmm… I wonder… will he betray us or not."

"If he does I'll slit his throat," the woman snorted, the old man's eyes widening while she circling behind him and turned to end up beside the brunette haired man. "He's only my granduncle after all. I haven't had family in years. Why should I care if he stays alive?"

"Good child," the spirit chuckled lightly, Apries taking a step back and growling under his breath while Zahra turned to him and gave him a slight smile.

"Don't worry," Zahra smirked, "unlike him, I don't care about the rites. I just want to move on like all of them," she told the priest, lifting her hands and ushering to the shadows that suddenly sprung to life behind her at her command. "Because you see Apries, there's a difference between myself and any other human being on earth. My blood related father is a god, a god of darkness. I was chosen specifically to be the one who brings down the pharaoh and his family because I was born from a god. That way, even if they kill me, I won't truly die and will be able to appear back in the land of the living without any problems. You see," she chuckled lowly, taking a step towards him as her gaze slowly went grim and the atmosphere around them quickly turned chilled, "There was an event that happened in my village years ago that you may have never known about. An event, I must continue, that… brought about the death of everyone here. And… the death of myself. I'm a living dead girl Apries. I am neither here nor there, unable to pass on to the afterlife till the others are able to leave also. Even if I fulfill this I still have a mission to complete, a birthright I have been given even if I can't make my way in the land of the living."

Zahra took another step towards him, Apries' eyes widening when he noticed how close she was. He shuddered, the smell he suddenly felt whiffing up his nose with strange aroma of incense and burning candle light. "And lastly," she snickered, her breath entering his head while he shuddered at the loud voice he was hearing through his ears, "this place, this realm, these shadows, they're _all~~_ mine. I _own~ them _and they know it. Those items the high priests possess, those Millennium items, they are **mine** and every soul that has touched them belongs to me. I control this realm of shadows, I show the souls of the dead were to go when they die, and if I dislike them I can feed them to the monsters without a second thought. So now that you've come here, whether you like it or not, in the end you will be _mine~_ and I will decide what to do with you even if you chant spells to avoid this place. Do not disappoint me Apries. _I will be __**back**_"

Apries' eyes split open and he gasped for air, falling down to the ground and looking around at his surroundings in shock. He was thrown back into the small library, his breathing heavy while he looked up to a window to see how much time had gone by. The sun was beginning to set and he gulped, the time for his decision to be met as he felt the shadows creeping around him, strangling him, and close to suffocating his frail form.

! #$%^&*()

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Zahra blinked, her eyes slowly opening while a groan escaped her lips and she looked around. She had passed out again, but this time she had collapsed in the middle of an alley way several blocks from any main street. She had to think for a few minutes before she remembered what happened, sighing as she sat up and used the wall behind her to pry herself off of the ground and to her feet. After she had met with Apries she started feeling dizzy. The lost spirits of the shadows were asking for her council, yet again, so she searched for a place where her body wouldn't be tampered with and fell asleep against a stack of crates. She barely remembered the events that happened, just that the Red-Eyes Black Dragon had gotten into trouble again and she led him back home. It was a strange soul, she had to admit. There was only one sort of dragon like that in the realm, while there were many other sorts of spirits that roamed whose kas oddly enough could be described as being similar. The boy's soul was unique and she continues to recall that she has met that soul before… while she was alive. She shook her head. It was probably a boy that was killed when her village was destroyed. Simple as that. What intrigued her was what he had told her: there's a Millennium item that houses the soul of Zorc and in that item the boy is trapped. There are many other souls that have problems controlling their kas, but that particular boy has a severe time in doing so. Thus she decided she'll have to continue what she was doing. If these trapped souls continue to be a problem for her she'll probably go insane, if she hadn't agreed she had done so already.

Both ways it was getting late and the sun was starting to set. Noticing it was about time to return to the temple she turned around, but there were a few things Zahra knew she had to do before returning. Walking deeper down the alleyway she looked for a place where no one would find her, not even the poorest that would be looking for refuge in between broken parts of the walls and small hangings where they could evade the elements. From the looks of the sky it won't rain tonight, but noticing the clouds that were beginning to form she may have problems later when she goes after Ihab, with or without this rite of initiation as a priestess of Anubis. She truly didn't care. She had other priorities, but the spirit that continued to call her daughter insisted she do this and, in honestly, Zahra felt it would benefit her in the long run. If she was able to have a stronger hold of her powers that meant she could start summoning her own ka again. Not in its full form, but at least in forms that will help her instead of summoning creatures from the depths of the shadow realm to use when she was provoked into attacking. She shook her head. It was too early to think about those sorts of things. Right now she just had to have one goal in mind, and there were a few things she had to do to prepare herself for this rite.

Once she found herself in a secluded place she summoned the shadows on command, a dark haze appearing from the increasing shadows of the walls and flowing around her in an eerie glow. Even though this was dark energy there was a glow to it, a glow that showed off the power and prestige that came only to those who could bring forth this superiority. Power, Zahra groaned at the thought, is why there are groups upon groups of beings after her, mortal or not. They seek her power like flies search for light and once they get too close they fizz away and burn until their insides are cooked into pieces. She didn't want to care about them, but when it's those who are close to her or have bright souls that do this it severely harms her own intake on her life. Should she continue? She can't simply kill herself, she's tried, but perhaps leaving and staying hidden in the shadows of the world will do others good. It won't do her any good, but if it helped others it would help her in the long run… probably.

As the shadows streamed around her a large set of chests appeared, each with its own engravings on top made from all sorts of different materials from wood to bronze to iron and even some with silver and gold. She landed her sights on a crate fashioned from the purest of silvers, engraved with markings of Anubis and other sorts of spells warding off evil. Pulling out that specific chest the rest of the items disappeared, leaving the silver chest in front of her feet. Crouching down Zahra pulled out a key and unlocked the chest, opening the box to reveal a treasure trove of all sorts of important items, mainly for her priesthood. She had always had this chest hidden in the contents of the shadows and she didn't know if she had stolen these, they were given to her, or she collected them in her own time. Either way there were many expensive items in the chest: silver candle holders with several dozen candles to spare, soft linens used to decorate altars with the finest embroidery she has seen, even compared to the treasures within the palace walls, clothes she was meant to wear for special occasions and most smaller then herself since she had worn them long before she was found in the middle of the desert, and several important scrolls and spells she had read over and realized they were ancient texts written in several different forms for all sorts of enchantments. From funeral rites to everyday use she had found texts on all sorts of problems. It was amazing what one could find when looking back on ancient times, but the scrolls weren't why she was there. She was there for a different matter and she reached her hands inside the silver chest to pull them out, placing the items beside her on top of her bag so they wouldn't get dirty.

Grabbing everything she needed Zahra closed the chest and locked it with her key, standing up and shoving the chest into the shadows as it evaporated once its mission was completed. Sighing she looked around, hoping no one saw her while she gathered the clothes into her hands and began to climb up the side of the buildings onto a rooftop. Looking around she smirked. There was no one around yet and everyone was still out hustling and bustling in the market streets before the merchants closed up shop. Candles were being lit, children ushered into nearby homes, but the woman had nowhere to go. No matter how much she wishes she had a family to go to she had nothing, watching as a child ran into her mother's arms while she pulled her onto her hip and brought her into one of the buildings. Even with an adopted family, a group that knows her well, she was still alone. The only sort of comfort she was ever brought was when the spirits appeared out of thin air, though she would never admit this to them. Zahra just wished everything was different, that she could have a normal life like everyone else… even if it's surrounded by gods, thieves, and the dead. That would still be her life, a life she will never be able to have because of the pharaoh and his priestly court.

Even if she won't admit it Zahra did have a hatred for the pharaoh. She knew what he had done. Even if he wasn't the priest that was there he gave the order. An order from a divine man like the pharaoh bears great consequence and even if he didn't realize this his one order killed many innocent lives. She had been hidden away because of that power. Power… a fickle thing. Only true power comes to those who deserve it, not those who blindly seek control. The pharaoh… he wasn't a bad man. She knew that, but the man who ordered her family to be killed… the reason why she never had grandparents or a big family… why… everything seemed so hard now. No matter how much she tried she wanted to side with the spirits. They may be dark, they may become warped by the shadows, but they were still her family. She cared for them. Yet she cared for Alexis and Seto. She cared about the promises she had made to them. To never harm the pharaoh, to use her powers for good… Zahra tries, but it never seems to be enough. To do good she also does bad, to keep harm away from the pharaoh she has to reject every feeling deep in her heart… she never seek revenge, but her body was created from the efforts of her village, their very essence fuelling her beating heart. Every time she dies they resurrect her, a small piece of every one of them disappearing into the hands of Osiris. She knew this, yet she still tried from time to time in killing herself for good. First material weapons, then she moved on to spells and enchantments to immobilize her body so she couldn't breathe. As much as she tried Zahra was still dead, living but dead, and the souls would continue to revive her with a deeper hidden malice for vengeance every single time she was revived. She came up with one decision; she would have to go through with their plans. Even if she wishes for the world to be different this cannot be the case.

In order for her soul and the spirits of her village to rest in peace she will have to live out their revenge. After going to Miletus Zahra realized how unreal her life is. She wasn't supposed to keep living. Her own life causes others to live in complete misery. There was only one thing to do, end her life as quickly as possible so the world can continue as it should be. She shouldn't have met Alexis, she shouldn't have met Orion. Because of her presence they are continuously unhappy… and because they are she feels depressed also. Quickly she slipped off her clothes, throwing them onto her bag as she slipped on the white linen cloth. Completely white and untainted by the dirt, a pair of clothing Zahra barely touched because she wouldn't want to dirty its cleanliness. Then she wrapped a black cloth around her waist, like always, making sure it was tied on one side before pulling her dagger from under her dress and slipping the blade visibly between the folds of the black cloth. She pulled out a comb and brushed her hair, humming quietly to herself while she thought aloud and looked down at the city around her. Zahra will be very visible, especially after she pulls on her cloak, but that didn't matter. This was what the spirits wanted, so she didn't care. If she was killed Zahra would simply blame the matter on the spirits. Maybe then they would let her stay in the darkness, but she doubted that.

Zahra carelessly placed silver bangles on her arms and legs, slipping on clean brown slippers before adjusting the necklace around her neck and placing several rings on her fingers. Each ring gave significance in her life, given to her at special moments or handed to her by the works of the spirits. Lastly she wrapped a black cloak around her neck and let the ends flutter in the wind, the ends of the cloak having the color scheme of black to light blue to white to light blue and then black again. White, a symbol of purity, against light blue, a symbol of the heavens and life, against the visible color of black, an image of death and resurrection. She recalled deep in her memories being given this color scheme by a man, Zahra quickly realizing to be Seker, in a temple just like the one she had walked into. It was to symbolize the priesthood she was about to take, years of long trials and hardship in the compounds of the temple. Even though she never worked for years in a temple like many other priests, she still got the training she needed to call herself a priestess. Whenever she could Zahra would venture into the villages' temples, praying along in Egyptian, Greek, Latin, and every other language she had come across on her travels. She had met many beings who may or may not even call themselves priests, which have taught her everything she knows that she hadn't read out of a scroll. She can read, write, heal, teach, and bury the dead. Zahra had all she needed to be a priestess and much more. She had more knowledge of the world then most priests do. That's why she didn't mind going through with this rite. She knew what she had to do and was proud to do so. She had many other professions to fall back on, category of priestess only coming after her roles as a thief, an assassin, a warrior, and more. Most importantly she was a bringer of light in a sea of darkness, ushering lost souls in the shadow realm from the land of the living to the afterlife.

She sighed, grabbing the back of her cloak and placing a loose end over her head to conceal her features. Yet, unlike normal, Zahra didn't place processions on her face being seen, only the hood hovering an inch above her eyes and keeping her black hair in place. Lastly she tied a braid on the left side of her face, a smirk coming to her lips once she was done and was ready to meet back with the high priest and see what his intentions were for her. Slipping the bag over her shoulder Zahra jumped down; letting the black cloak fan behind her while she walked without signs of fear or regret on her face. As she stepped onto the main drags of the streets she was given looks of wonder and confusion, though others simply let her be and barely gave notice to her. Zahra smirked. That's what was so great about being in a new place. The common people were so naive of the powers she possesses that they don't bow in fear or run away or even dash towards her looking for assistance. No, she was just a priestess walking the streets by herself. She was just a normal person walking among the Egyptians as the sun disappeared over the ridge. They felt no terror towards her as Zahra walked past, coming back to the large lone temple on the edge of the city and taking large steps up the stairs to the front entrance where she had first arrived.

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! #$%^&*()

The high priest of the temple at Cynopolis was in frenzy. He didn't know what to do, yet Apries ordered his subordinates to gather preparations for a ceremony. When they asked he didn't give them a response, his dark golden eyes peering into their hearts and causing the younger priests to do as he commanded. He paced back and forth, biting the bottom of his lip while he began to worry. This was his own flesh and blood. Yet that young woman wasn't just a Ranpu, she was a goddess. What other powers could she possess? What harm will befall Egypt if he helps her? What if she uses her powers for evil… what if the gods smite him for thinking this way? He has been working for the gods for so long as their humble servant that those thoughts of angering them made his skin crawls. If Apries didn't do what she asked he will die, even if he's as old as he is he has lived for too long to die now. He didn't want to see his brother again, not yet. He has spent the rest of his life trying to redeem himself for his sins. Apries bit his tongue. He caused the death of hundreds and even thousands of people he may have never known. He killed his family and he should be ashamed… and smite… and destroyed.

Looking up he let out a grunt, instructing the others to leave him for what he must do. This was the highest force of treason he had ever committed against the pharaoh and against Egypt, but he must write the wrong he had done for his own kin. If he must initiate a ceremony for the lone survivor of a travesty to save his soul from the torment of the gods then he will do so. And he will do so without complaint, as he has always done for the gods.

His head snapped up at the sound of footsteps clanking on the marble stones, his eyes widening while he gulped and ran a shaky hand through his sharp dark brunette hair with thin strips of white and gray peeking through the folds of his dark hair. The woman smirked from under her hood, jumping up the last few steps of the stairs before stopping several feet from the man on the same set of steps Apries was standing on. "So," Zahra began in the same booming voice he had remembered from his encounter only a few moments ago, "what is your decision Apries Ranpu? Will you help me or will I go about my own business like normal?"

"I… I shall," the old man nodded, lifting his hand to the altar and ushering the woman to follow him. "There… are questions I would like to ask you –"

"Of course," Zahra smirked at him, stopping at the top of the stairs before flipping off her hood so she could stare at him through bright jaded green eyes. "If this doesn't mean you're stalling for time before the guards get here then I do not care what you ask of me."

Apries blinked for a few moments before chuckling lowly, sighing while he walked around the altar to the back and face the woman with his own piercing gaze. "First question, why did you have Anubis bring me into the realm of shadows? Was there importance in seeing you there –"

"Oh you saw me there?" Zahra shrugged, "Because I don't remember."

The old man raised an eyebrow at this, though after he stared at her with critical eyes to see if she was joking. "Is that so? I saw you as clear as day, ushering a creature from one side of the realm to another and using mystical powers to summon a bright road for us to follow –"

"As I told you I don't remember," she huffed. "I did black out and wake up in the middle of an alley, but what happens in that realm… I usually don't recall." Noticing her answer didn't suffice she sighed, looking around at the white building around her before continuing again. "… I only remember what I need to. I have had spirits hounding me for my whole life. I have answered you as honestly as I can. Whatever you saw there, if that was me or not… I… don't know," she frowned, her eyes slowly growing troubled while she looked away and began to walk towards a statue of Anubis. "… I could have done this years ago," she sighed longingly to herself while her hand reached up to gently touch the knee of god, "I could be a priestess now alongside the family I had grown up with… but I refuse. I refuse to follow loyally a man whom has destroyed everything I belonged to. I don't remember them… I barely remember my family. My mother, father… I only recall snippets. I ran away Apries, with no intention of ever coming back. I ran away from everything I knew because I couldn't face the spirits again. Their screams telling me to obey… orders… I don't follow orders well," she chuckled lightly, "but oddly enough the spirits seemed to know that. They knew my frustrations and worries… they sympathize with me. I… belong there, with them. Not here… in this world."

She paused, letting the feeling sink into the pit of the man's stomach before she continued, "… I belong with them. I am supposed to be dead. I died years ago and that is the only memory I can recall with vivid detail. No abstract faces, no questions about identities and who I'm talking to, realistically… I saw them die. I died. I see myself die every single time I close my eyes and I can't stand it, but… I continue on. They're the reason I'm alive. The only reason I exist here is because of them. They gave me a body and bones and flesh so I can complete the vengeance in their hearts. Yet I know for certain that won't save them… I know how to save them and I will do so whether they wish to leave into the afterlife or not. They are my family and I wish for them to rest in peace… I don't see myself as part of this Ranpu family. I barely know them. What I do know are for the villagers I grew up with when I was young. They accepted me. I don't know if my own family would, but the villagers accepted me. Now I must help them. I want to contract myself to them… so once this is all over they can rest and so can I. I am here because of them and I've been selfish. I need to finish what we started, even if I don't know where I'm going… I'm just like the lost souls trapped between life and the afterlife. I don't know where I'm going, but I'll keep moving forward because I know at the end of the road I will find my fate. That… is why you see me there. I'm supposed to be there, not here… I don't belong in this world."

"Then… why do this ceremony?" Apries asked.

Zahra smirked, a chuckle escaping her throat while she looked away and ran a hand through her hair, and then stepping up onto the steps and coming towards him. "As I told you, I want to contract myself with them. Not only that, but my family is of a priestly class, no? You can't say that I haven't trained. I've been out on foot for years learning day by day how to read, write, heal, teach, and bury the dead. Isn't that the point? I'm just making everything official," she grinned, "and I honestly don't care. It's my deceased father that wishes this to be so, not myself. If you refuse I will turn my back and walk out of the temple without harming you. I don't care –"

"You, young lady, remind me _too~_ much of my brother," the old man chuckled, pointing his finger at her as he went around the altar and came towards her with a wide grin on his face. "I… miss them," Apries sighed, shaking his head while he slowly walked to her. "I miss my older quirky brother and all his flaws. His little children as they _**'pitter' 'pattered'**_ across the marble steps… I lost my family too and I was the one who caused this mess." The woman watched emotionlessly while he continued, knowing full well what he was entailing. "I mean… if I had just kept my big mouth shut I wouldn't have lost everyone! Everyone! You, I… I never believed there was another one like me… can you speak to the gods too?"

"Of course," Zahra smirked slyly, "and I know for a fact that my mother could too, but she never spoke to me and refused to have me speak that language in front of her."

"Must skip a generation," Apries chuckled happily, "because your grandfather couldn't. Do you know _why~_ our family is in the line of priests and holy orders?"

"No," she shook her head, "why –"

"It is natural for our kind to speak to the gods," he smirked. "Every once in a while a Ranpu will be able to speak to them, but with our bloodline one child, if not two, in every generation instinctively know how to speak their language. It was only a matter of time to see another one," he chuckled, "but I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Yes," Zahra nodded with a smile, "I wish it was too… Just don't you dare associate yourself with me. I'm a criminal. You don't want to get involved with the likes of me –"

"So was my brother lass!" He laughed aloud, grabbing her in a bone crushing hug and completely surprising the woman as her eyes widened in shock. "He's always been a sick in the mud, but when it comes to get business done he does so. You know that cloak you're wearing? He used to wear one like yours, but in a robe fashion. Perhaps it's a part of that village he became involved in. I don't know, but… gods I miss him. Don't you worry about me kid. I've lived years keeping the secret that my brother was a mastermind bandit and a thief. I'll do the same for you… so don't worry about it."

"… I will still worry –"

"_Well~_ that's to be expected," Apries smirked, letting go of the woman while he sighed happily and looked her over. "You… have you been married yet –"

"If you're asking if I neked with anyone you're wrong," she snorted. "Besides don't you know how virgin goddesses are? Men pretty much dissolve into dust if they so much as touch us –"

"Oh I know," he chuckled. "I know… sorry. Just… my own niece?"

"Sometimes things aren't what they seem –"

"No, not that," he smirked, "but… I never saw your mother as the type to be attracted to the divine. In fact that's the difference between myself and my brother. I don't mind being a servant; he is the rebellious type that refuses to bow down to mortals and even to a god. Sure he plays the role of priest well, but when it comes to doing as they say to exact detail he doesn't particularly follow orders."

"I can relate," Zahra snickered.

"I see," Apries smiled sweetly. "… Well I guess it's about time we get this started –"

"You're not starting the party without me, _are you~~?_" came a voice from the bottom of the stairs, the two Ranpus looking down to see a man standing in the shadows of the columns before emerging and setting his sapphire eyes on the woman.

"Anubis," Zahra snorted in disgust, "what are you doing here –"

"You're a valuable asset to me sister," he smirked, "and I wish to make sure this ceremony is as official as they come."

"But –"

"And I _also~_ decided to bring a soul to help conduct this," Anubis continued, taking a step to the side to show the spirit standing behind him in the dark.

"O-oh –"

"Seker?" Apries squinted his eyes, taking a few steps down the stairs and making his way to the spirit. "You… you're her father –"

"Not biologically, but I did raise her for eleven years," the man told him.

"But… you and –"

"Her mother? Yes we are together," Seker smiled.

Apries grinned happily back, "You should have told me! You were one of my favorites –"

"I had Zahra's best interest in mind," Seker pointed to the woman, who still stood above them on the top of the stairs glaring down at him with her arms crossed over her chest. "You know the reasons why we couldn't come out of hiding. If she had her name in the records the priest who destroyed us would be after her, but now that doesn't matter. The child has enough mind and strength to keep that evil away. Besides that's not the darkest evil we will face, right Zahra?"

"Sure," Zahra snorted, "but I'm still not excited about this idea –"

"I know you're not," Seker sighed, "but I wish that you could become like your mother and I wanted. We wanted you to be a priestess. Perhaps not one trapped in a temple all day, but a priestess of our village and a traveler on the roads. An aunt and uncle of yours had done this, but I know you wanted to be a priestess of our village. So why not? A priestess for the thieves, has a nice ring no?" He smirked happily, the woman rolling her eyes while the old man nodded knowing and turned his head to the god.

"If we are done I guess I should start correct?" Apries smiled to the woman, Zahra giving him a nod as he walked up the stairs with the woman following him. The spirit appeared right beside the altar, the old man giving him a nod also before standing on the other side of the altar with Zahra standing on the second to the top of the steps and staring at the man intriguingly. He began with a few simple chants and prayers, the woman instinctively knowing them by heart while she mumbled the answers to his questions and knew what to say at the right times.

! #$%^&*()

**A/N: And we end there because the chapter was getting long and I wanted a bit of a cliff hanger. Also because I didn't what to come up with words and sayings they'd say, so there you go. For Zahra's cloak think back to Bakura's red cloak. How there's a border of white against the red. That's what I'm trying to describe, that type color scheme on fabric. Hard, but trying ^^' and I think that's all I have to say. So SEE YOU LATER!**


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